Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

Abstract

ABSTRACT :
BACKGROUND :
Hypertension is a world wide disease and in 90% of cases the cause is unknown . Its early detection
and treatment can prevent serious complications such as ischemic heart disease (IHD) . Furthermore
the association of lipids with IHD is a well-known fact . However abnormally high levels of
homocysteine were found to be strongly linked to an increase risk of coronary artery disease .
OBJECTIVES:
To evaluate the total plasma homocysteine concentration in hypertensive patients.
METHODS :
Total plasma homocystein concentrations were measured using High Performance Liquid
Chromatography(HPLC) with Ultraviolet( UV) detector in 60 hypertensive patients (27 male and 33
female) aged 35 years and more . Cholesterol , triglyceride , HDL-cholesterol , LDL-cholesterol ,
VLDL-cholesterol were determined .The prevalence of high total homocysteine values were determined
by comparison with normal reference population.
RESULTS :
Total plasma homocysteine levels were significantly higher in patients than in normal population. Total
serum cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations were also significantly higher in patients than in
normal population with no association to the level of homocysteine which is regarded as a special
independent vascular risk factor.
CONCLUSION :
The study involves the evaluation of homocysteine in hypertensive patients plasma homocysteine
levels were significantly higher in patients than in control groups. There were no significant differences
between male and female patients.