Follow Up of Hypertensive Patients at Regional Hospital of Bafoussam, West Cameroon: Biochemical Profiles in Naive and Hypotensive Drug Treated Patients

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this work was to study the effects of antihypertensive therapies on certain metabolic parameters in hypertensive patients. Methods: A cross-sectional and analytical study conducted within the Bafoussam Regional Hospital on 343 patients including 99 normotensives and 244 hypertensives distributed in 71 patients naive to treatment and 173 patients under treatment (84 under monotherapy, 67 under bitherapy and 21 under tritherapy). The antihypertensive medications were recorded from the medical records. A questionnaire survey was administered to study participants and potential risk factors for hypertension sought. Blood and urine samples were collected for lipid, renal and hepatic disorder analysis. Two blood pressure measurements enabled us to diagnose hypertensive patients. Measurements of biochemical parameters such as total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine, glucose, aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), potassium, chloride and calcium were done in serum by methods resulting from commercial kits. Results: Calcium Channel Blockers were significantly associated with increases in blood potassium (odd-ratios (OR) = 8.63, p = 0.036) and sodium (OR = 0.20, p = 0.037). Angiotensin-converting enzyme/Angiotensin II receptor blockers were significantly associated with an increase in plasma activity of ASAT (OR = 0.12, p = 0.03) whereas Diuretics were significantly associated with an increase in ALAT plasma activity (OR = 0.003, p = 0.012). Dual therapies were associated with highest frequencies of hypercreatininemia (41.8%) and hyperglycemia (44.8%) whereas hypocholesterolemia HDL (38.1%) was most observed in hypertensive patients on triple therapy. The different therapies