CARDIOVASCULAR RISK AND SUBCLINICAL VASCULAR ORGAN DAMAGE IN PATIENTS WITH AND WITHOUT HYPERTENSION

Abstract

Objective: Assessment of subclinical organ damage and sex differences in cardiovascular risk stratification in patients with or without hypertension. Design and method: We divided 100 patients in two groups: HT+: patients with arterial hypertension (25 women and 25 men); HT-: patients without arterial hypertension (25 women and 25 men). The average age of them [yrs]: 56 and 53 (*p < 0,05). Ankle-brachial index (ABI), pulse wave velocity (PWV) and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) were evaluated. We assessed cardiovascular risk according to: SCORE and Framingham scales. Statistical calculations were performed in PQStat 1.6. For comparison of variables we used the t-test for unrelated samples. To perform the correlation we used Spearman’s rank correlation RS. Results: We revealed following results in both groups: HT+ and HT- respectively [*for p< = 0,05; **for p < 0,001; NS- negligible statistically]. In the group with hypertension women were characterized by a lower IMT and PWV than men. The cardiovascular risk according to risk SCORE and Framingham scales in men was significantly higher than in women in both groups. In female with hypertension, there was a significant negative correlation between ABI and IMT. In male without hypertension, there was a significant negative correlation between ABI and IMT. Conclusions: 1. There was no difference in values of: ABI, PWV and IMT between the sexes in normotensive patients. 2. Women with hypertension were characterized by a lower IMT and PWV. 3. There were significant negative correlation between ABI and IMT in female and male groups.