A STUDY OF SERUM URIC ACID LEVELS IN NEWLY DIAGNOSED CASES OF ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSION

Background: The association of raised serum uric acid levels with various cardiovascular risk factors has often led to the debate of whether raised serum uric acid levels could be an independent risk factor in essential hypertension. Hence, the present study was conducted for assessing the serum uric acid levels in cases of essential hypertension and comparing them with normal healthy, non-hypertensive controls. Materials & Methods: Sixty patients visiting in the department of general medicine, MMIMSR with newly diagnosed cases of essential hypertension [according to the Indian guidelines on Hypertension(IGH) III-2013] , fullling the inclusion criteria and after verifying the exclusion criteria were nally taken up for the study. Sixty controls of age and sex matched were taken from the same catchment area. Results: The mean age of the subjects of the essential hypertension group and control group was found to be 45.75 years and 47.8 years respectively. Mean systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure among the subjects of the essential hypertension group was 161.3 and 102.3 mm of Hg. Mean systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure among the subjects of the control group was 116.8 and 77.4 mm of Hg. Mean serum uric acid levels among the subjects of the essential hypertension group and control group was found to be 6.45 mg/dL and 5.57 mg/dLrespectively. Signicant results were obtained while comparing the mean serum uric acid levels among the subjects of the essential hypertension group and the control group. Hyperuricemia was present in 38.33 percent of the patients (23 patients) of the essential hypertension group and 13.33 percent of the patients (8 patients) of the control group. Signicant results were obtained while comparing the prevalence of hyperuricemia in between the two study groups.Conclusion: An independent relationship of elevated serum uric acid levels with hypertension and indicates the signicance of maintaining normal serum uric acid concentration to prevent hypertension.