Effect of social and clinical conditions on blood pressure variation in angolans hospitalized with malaria

Abstract

Introduction: Malaria is the leading cause of death in Angola, followed by road accidents, and represents about 20% of hospitalizations in health facilities and about 35% of the demand for curative care. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of social and clinical conditions on the variation of blood pressure in hospitalized Angolans with malaria. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted as a cross sectional and quantitative approach. Results: Of the 333 patients followed, 28% of the patients were normotensive, 50% with moderate hypertension (HTN.1) and 20% with severe hypertension, in the first 48 hours of hospitalization. These data changed after 4 days, where in the last 48 hours before the end of the study, 33% of patients were normotensive, 56% were moderate hypertensive (HTN.2) and 11% were severe hypertensive and the average age of the patients was 27 years old (standard deviation = 9) and the female/male ratio was 153/180, mostly from urban areas in Luanda (76%) and moderate and severe hypertension was more frequent in students, unemployed and business people (72% ). In the first 48 hours, the number of patients with low parasitemia was 42%, with moderate and high parasitemia was 58%. In the last 48 hours before the end of the study, patients with moderate and high parasitemia accounted for only 11% and patients with low parasitemia accounted for 89%, where patients treated with artemether were 90% of the study population and showed significant changes in pressure levels when compared with patients treated with artesunate (10%), the mortality rate was 6%, a large group of them remained hospitalized (63%) and 31% were discharged. Conclusion: In general, many patients with malaria had high blood pressure during hospital admission, and throughout the hospitalization period, in some cases, there was a significant reduction depending on social conditions, parasitemics, and medical and medication treatment.