Plasma Activity of Antioxidants and Lipid Peroxidation Level Among Patients having Moderate and Severe Hypertension

Abstract

Hypertension or high blood pressure and its complications is a major cause of morbidity and mortality all over the world. The development of hypertension has been linked to atherosclerosis formation and progression which in turn has its root in free radicals induced oxidative stress and antioxidants present. This work was undertaken to determine plasma activity of enzymatic antioxidants and lipid peroxidation level in patients with moderate and severe hypertension to establish a possible association between these parameters and progression of hypertension. A total number of 60 hypertensive patients that are freshly diagnosed made up of 30 moderate and 30 severe hypertensive patients with 30 relatively healthy subjects as control recruited from Wesley Guide Hospital, Ilesa, Osun State Nigeria was used for this study. Plasma activity of catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and plasma level of malondialdehyde (MDA) was determined in both patients and control subjects using standard methodologies. The results obtained was subjected to statistical analysis using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post-hoc Duncan test with (p<0.05) considered to be significant. The result of this study revealed a significant decrease (P<0.05) in the activity of the antioxidant enzymes considered. The plasma MDA in all the patients was raised but not statistically significant p<0.05 from result obtained for the control subjects. Progressive decrease in the activity of antioxidant enzymes in these patients and a possible oxidative stress as hypertension progresses as shown in this study could be a pointer to the fact that these molecules might influence greatly the progression of hypertension.