Association between cardiovascular risk factors and stage 1 hypertension defined by the 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines

Abstract

Background: A blood pressure (BP) of 130-139/80-89 mmHg has been defined as stage 1 hypertension by the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association High Blood Pressure Clinical Practice Guidelines. This study was conducted to assess the association of cardiovascular risk factors (CRFs) and newly defined stage 1 hypertension in China.

Methods: We analyzed the data of 84,489 adults with a BP of <140/90 mmHg. The 10-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk score was calculated using the China-PAR equation. Logistic analysis was used to assess the association between CRFs and stage 1 hypertension.

Results: The mean values of CRFs, the proportion of metabolic abnormalities, the prevalence of ≥2 CRFs, and the 10-year CVD risk of individuals with a BP of 130-139/80-89 mmHg were significantly higher than those of the population with a BP of <130/80 mmHg. The adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of waist circumference, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and triglycerides were 1.362 (CI 95% = 1.081-1.715, p = .009), 1.264 (CI 95% = 1.093-1.462, p = .002), and 1.331 (CI 95% = 1.009-1.755, p = .043), respectively. Other CRFs were not significantly associated with stage 1 hypertension.

Conclusions: Multidisciplinary and targeted interventions are required to manage the CRFs (especially abdominal obesity, elevated FPG, and hypertriglyceridemia) of the population with a BP of 130-139/80-89 mmHg in China.

Keywords: Hypertension; cardiovascular disease; dyslipidemia; hyperuricemia; obesity.