INADEQUATE CONTROL OF ARTERIAL-HYPERTENSI ON ON OBESE PATIENTS - RESULTS OF BLOOD-PRESSURE SCREENING AT WORK-SITE

In this study we investigated whether blood pressure control was diffe rent in lean compared to obese hypertensive subjects and whether the q uality of blood pressure control was influenced by the kind of antihyp ertensive drug treatment. At work-sire we assessed the medical history of 6,303 subjects with emphasis on previously or actually taken antih ypertensive medication, weight, height, and casual blood pressure (cuf f girth adjusted to arm circumference). 546 patients were on antihyper tensive medication. Despite treatment, every third treated hypertensiv e patient had blood pressure values greater than or equal to 160/95 mm Hg indicating inadequate blood pressure control. Age-adjusted values o f systolic as well as diastolic blood pressure were computed in all tr eated hypertensives: The greater the body mass index the higher was in particular systolic blood pressure (p<0.051 in men and diastolic bloo d pressure (p<0.05) in women, though all were on antihypertensive trea tment. Nonobese compared to obese sex- and age-matched patients showed a trend to an increased systolic (4.6 mmHg) as well as diastolic (3.7 mmHg) blood pressure (p<0.05). No impact of the choice of given antih ypertensive drug was found. In conclusion, we found worse blood pressu re control in obese than in lean hypertensive patients. This does furt her increase the cardiovascular risk of obese hypertensive patients an d therefore emphasizes strict blood pressure control particularly in o bese hypertensive patients.