Increased lipid profile in hypertensive Nigerian males: A possible risk for atherosclerosis

Objectives: This study was aimed at evaluating the risk of atherosclerosis in hypertensive Nigerians attending Ebonyi State University Teaching Hospital, using total cholesterol/HDL ratio. Methodology: A sex-adjusted assessment of the total cholesterol, high density lipoprotei, and total cholesterol/HDL was performed on 82 hypertensive (45 males; 37 females) and 55 normotensive control (29 males; 26 females) Nigerians, aged between 30-70 years. Analysis of the total cholesterol and high density lipoproteins were by the routinely employed enzymatic and phosphotungstate-phosphomolybdate methods respectively. Results: Mean total cholesterol (4.9±1.08 mmol/L) and total cholesterol/HDL (5.16±1.89) were significantly higher (P 0.05) in hypertensive males and than in the controls (4.40±0.99 mmol/ L and 3.77±1.25 respectively), while the mean HDL concentration was significantly (P 0.05) lower (1.03±0.33 mmol/L) in the hypertensive males than in their control (1.26±0.39 mmol/L) counterparts. In females, the total cholesterol (4.98±1.02 mmHg) HDL (1.12±0.39 mmHg), and total cholesterol/HDL (4.94±1.82) were statistically not different (P 0.05) from 4.86±1.05 mmHg, 1.29±0.44 mmHg, and 4.09±1.32, respectively obtained from the controls. Also, no sex-adjusted difference was observed in either of the hypertensive or control subjects. Conclusion: These data underscore the relevance of routine assessment of lipid levels in hypertensive patients, especially in males, to detect increasing risks of atherosclerosis and its sequela