Spectrum of Lipid Profile Abnormalities in Patients with Essential Hypertension:  A Cross-Sectional Study at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Bangladesh

Abstract

Background: Dyslipidemia commonly coexists with hypertension and contributes substantially to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However, evidence regarding the spectrum of lipid abnormalities among hypertensive patients in Bangladesh remains limited. This study aimed to determine the pattern of lipid profile abnormalities among patients with essential hypertension and compare their lipid parameters with normotensive controls. Methods: This hospital-based cross-sectional study enrolled 50 hypertensive patients and 50 age- and sex-matched normotensive controls from Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Bangladesh, between January and June 2017. Relevant clinical and demographic data were collected using a structured questionnaire, and fasting lipid profiles were determined by standard laboratory methods. Lipid abnormalities were defined according to Adult Treatment Panel III criteria, and statistical significance was accepted at p<0.05. Results: The majority of hypertensive patients were aged 51–60 years (36.0%), 64.0% were male, and 66.0% were obese. Hypertriglyceridemia was the most common lipid abnormality (68.0%), followed by hypercholesterolemia (62.0%), elevated VLDL-C (58.0%), elevated LDL-C (56.0%), low HDL-C (36.0%), and mixed dyslipidemia (48.0%). Mean TC, TG, LDL-C, HDL-C, VLDL-C, and TC/HDL-C ratio among hypertensive patients were 231.49 ± 41.96 mg/dL, 198.78 ± 87.99 mg/dL, 145.99 ± 32.87 mg/dL, 44.11 ± 9.58 mg/dL, 38.99 ± 16.99 mg/dL, and 4.99 ± 1.16, respectively. Compared with normotensive controls, hypertensive patients had significantly higher TC (p<0.001), TG (p=0.004), LDL-C (p<0.001), VLDL-C (p=0.007), and TC/HDL-C ratio (p<0.001). HDL-C levels did not differ significantly between groups (p=0.168). No significant gender-based differences in dyslipidemia patterns were observed. Conclusion: Essential hypertension was associated with a high prevalence of atherogenic lipid abnormalities, particularly hypertriglyceridemia and mixed dyslipidemia. Routine lipid profiling should be integrated into hypertension management to enable early cardiovascular risk stratification and comprehensive preventive interventions.