Rate of control of LDL cholesterol and incident hypertension requiring antihypertensive treatment in hypercholesterolemic subjects in daily clinical practice

Abstract

Introduction. Preliminary evidence suggests that hypercholesterolemia is associated to an increased risk to develop hypertension. We aimed at evaluating the association between low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level and incidence of new onset of hypertension in a large population sample.Materials and methods. A population-based cohort of 20,074 subjects with at least one LDL-C measurement between July 2006 and June 2007 and free of antihypertensive treatment (AHT) at baseline was followed from the LDL-C date until death or 31 December 2009.Results. During the follow-up, 10.7% of patients with LDL-C < 130 mg/dL, 13.2% of patients with LDL-C between 130 and 159 mg/dL, 12.2% of patients with LDL-C between 160 and 189 mg/dL, and 13.9% of patients with LDL-C ≥ 190 mg/dL had new-onset hypertension requiring the initiation of AHT. Compared with the LDL-C < 130 mg/dL group, the hazard ratio (HR) of initiation of AHT increased among those with LDL-C level between 130 and 159 mg/dL (HR 1.23; 95% CI: 1.08–1.40), those with LDL-C level between 160 and 189 mg/dL (HR 1.24; 95% CI: 1.01–1.51), and those with LDL-C ≥ 190 mg/dL (HR 1.45; 95% CI: 1.11–1.89).Conclusion. A better control of cholesterolemia seems to be associated to a lower incidence of new-onset of hypertension requiring AHT in a large cohort of general population.