Systolic and diastolic blood pressure related to six other risk parameters in Turkish adults: Strong correlation with relative weight

• Published in: International journal of cardiology 1998-02, Vol.63 (3), p.295-303
• Main Authors: Onat, Altan, Sansoy, Vedat
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Arterial hypertension. Arterial hypotension; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Blood Pressure; Body Mass Index; Body Weight - physiology; Cardiology. Vascular system; Clinical manifestations. Epidemiology. Investigative techniques. Etiology; Diastole; Epidemiology; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Multivariate Analysis; Obesity; Physical inactivity; Plasma lipids; Smoking; Systole; Triglycerides - blood; Turkey
• ISSN: 0167-5273; 1874-1754
• DOI: 10.1016/S0167-5273(97)00315-X

This study aimed to investigate the relationship of systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) with a series of metabolic and nonmetabolic cardiovascular risk variables in a random sample of Turkish general adult population. Values of systolic and diastolic BP on the one hand and of six variables including body mass index (BMI), waist/hip ratio (W/H), grade of physical activity (PhA), plasma lipids and cigarette smoking from 1046 men and 1095 women aged 225 years were included in the analysis. Participants were classified into tertiles according to systolic and diastolic BP measurements, and were stratified in two age categories: 25–44 years (young) and 45–74 years (elderly). Plasma total cholesterol and triglyceride (Trg) concentrations were measured by the enzymatic method with the Reflotron apparatus. In multiple regression analysis, age proved the strongest independent determinant of BP. BMI was a strong independent marker of systolic and diastolic pressures in women, while in men the determinant value of the W/H was equivalent to BMI. For each increment of 1 kg/m 2 of BMI was associated in men an increase of over 8 and 16 mmHg in diastolic and systolic pressure, respectively, regardless of age group. Corresponding figures in women were roughly 6 and 10 mmHg. Though plasma Trg were not independently associated with BP in either gender, the independent contribution of plasma cholesterol level in women to systolic and diastolic pressures was small but significant. BP was related to mean concentrations of plasma Trg in young adults only, total cholesterol levels were associated with diastolic pressure in young men only, whereas PhA grade was not associated with BP. These findings are consistent with the theory that, in the normal state, functions such as regulation of BP, body weight and lipid metabolism are closely linked to each other.