Prevalence of resistant hypertension and its relation with plasma lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2

Background: A major modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease is hypertension. Resistant hypertension is observed to be associated with an increased likelihood of deleterious effects such as cardiovascular events, cerebrovascular accident, and renal dysfunction. The raised levels of inflammatory cytokines in the plasma like the C-reactive protein (CRP) have previously been observed to be significantly raised in hypertensive patients, but the overlying mechanisms corresponding to these processes remain unknown. Materials and Methods: In essence, this was an observational study with data collected from a population at a specific moment in the time to assess the relationships between the variables analyzed. A total of 200 individuals with arterial hypertension took part in the study. Fasting venous blood was obtained to evaluate plasma lipoprotein-related phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) activity, and baseline data were collected. To diagnose RH, a 24-h ambulatory blood pressure management was done. Results: RH was observed among 100 patients and found to be predominant among males and older individuals, who were smokers and having hypertension for a longer period of time with higher Lp-PLA2 activity. More RH patients used calcium channel blockers and diuretics, while a fewer used angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, and statins (P 0.05 for all comparisons). Conclusion: The plasma Lp-PLA2 activity beyond a certain threshold suggests a raised risk of RH, and the statins can help in reducing the RH incidence among persons with high Lp-PLA2 levels.