Apparent Treatment Resistant Hypertension Among Stroke Survivors in Ghana

There are limited data evaluating the characteristics of apparent treatment-resistant hypertension (aTRH) among stroke survivors in sub-Saharan Africa. We aimed to conduct a comparative analysis of the frequency and factors associated with aTRH among stroke survivors and stroke-free individuals with hypertension in Ghana.

Cross-sectional multicenter study involving five hospitals in Ghana conducted between July 2015 and June 2018. Clinic-based blood pressure was measured using a standardized protocol and antihypertensive medications assessed via review of medical records and inspection of pills. aTRH was defined as either office BP ≥140/90mmHg on ≥3 classes of antihypertensive medications or on ≥4 antihypertensive medications regardless of BP. Multivariate logistic regression models were constructed to assess for associations between aTRH and co-variates.

Mean age of stroke survivors (n=1,169) was 59.3±13.3 years vs 58.4±12.4 years among stroke-free hypertensives (n=2,758), p=0.06. Among stroke survivors on ≥4 antihypertensive medications 18.1% had BP on a target of <140/90 mmHg and only 8.7% had BP <130/80mmHg. Prevalence of aTRH was 45.3%(95% CI: 42.4-48.2) among stroke survivors and 19.9%(18.4-21.4) among stroke-free hypertensives, p<0.0001. All stroke types were associated with aTRH with adjusted odds ratio (95% CI): hemorrhagic stroke 4.56(3.34-6.23), sub-arachnoid hemorrhage 4.10(1.70-9.90), ischemic stroke 2.85(2.32-3.50), and untyped stroke 1.92(1.41-2.60). Other predictors of aTRH were age <60 years, receiving care at a tertiary facility, and diabetes mellitus.

Most stroke survivors encountered in this multisite study in Ghana had resistant hypertension. Tailored interventions are needed to mitigate the risk of recurrent adverse cardiovascular events in these patients.