Relationship between traditional risk factors for hypertension and systolic blood pressure in the Tohoku Medical Megabank Community-based Cohort Study

Abstract

Risk factors for hypertension have been emphasized in the Japanese Society of Hypertension Guidelines for the Management of Hypertension. However, large-scale studies on the association of smoking, potassium excretion, and gamma-glutamyl transferase level with BP in the Japanese population are limited. We conducted a cross-sectional study to examine the association between hypertension risk factors and systolic blood pressure in the Tohoku Medical Megabank Community-based Cohort Study (23,446 men and 38,921 women aged ≥20 years). A model adjusted for age, body mass index, smoking status, drinking status, estimated daily salt intake, potassium excretion, (or urinary sodium-to-potassium ratio), gamma-glutamyl transferase, physical activity, education level, status of damage to homes during the Great East Japan Earthquake, and residential areas was used. The average age and systolic blood pressure were 62.5 (10.3) years for men and 59.6 (11.3) years for women, 128.9 (16.7) mmHg for men and 124.7 (17.5) mmHg for women, respectively. Body mass index estimated daily salt intake, urinary sodium-to-potassium ratio and gamma-glutamyl transferase levels were positively associated with systolic blood pressure. Compared with never-drinkers, current drinkers who consumed 23–45 g/day and ≥46.0 g/day had significantly increased systolic blood pressure. Conversely, current smokers (1-10 cigarettes/day and 11-20 cigarettes/day) were inversely associated with systolic blood pressure compared to never-smokers. Overall, systolic blood pressure was associated with gamma-glutamyl transferase and hypertension risk factors, including body mass index, alcohol consumption, estimated daily salt intake, urinary sodium-to-potassium ratio, and potassium excretion. Our findings support the notion that lifestyle modifications should be attempted to prevent hypertension.

Consider hypertension risk factors once again

“…Takase et al examined risk factors for hypertension using data from the Tohoku Medical Megabank cohort study, and found that body mass index, salt intake, urinary Na/K ratio, γ-GTP level, and alcohol intake were associated with risk factors for elevated systolic blood pressure [1]. Aida et al examined the relationship between income and blood pressure using data from the National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups of Japan, and found that the lowest income group had 15.3% more hypertension than the highest income group in men and 18.7% in women, and the effects of lifestyle habits such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and obesity were considered [2].…”