Differences by age and marital status in hypertensive patients in Enugu

Ngwu, Amauche Martina and Ezigbo, Doris Eyiuche and Njoku, Modesta Chiamaka (2025) Differences by age and marital status in hypertensive patients in Enugu. GSC Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 31 (2). pp. 106-112. ISSN 2581-3250

Hypertension is a well-established risk factor for cardiovascular disease and is known to increase with age across all populations. Lipid abnormalities often co-occur with hypertension, further compounding cardiovascular risk. This study assessed the influence of age and marital status on lipid profiles among hypertensive patients in Enugu, Nigeria. A total of 70 hypertensive patients aged 30–70 years receiving treatment at Enugu State University Teaching Hospital were enrolled. Demographic data, including age and marital status, were collected using a structured questionnaire. Blood pressure was measured, and fasting lipid profiles—including total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL)—were analyzed from serum samples using standard laboratory methods. Data were analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Pearson correlation coefficients. The study population consisted of 54.3% married women (n=38), 30.0% married men (n=21), and 15.7% unmarried individuals (n=11). Married men had significantly lower HDL levels (0.857 ± 0.183 mmol/L) compared to married women (1.021 ± 0.243 mmol/L; p=0.015). Among married men, diastolic blood pressure showed a significant positive correlation with total cholesterol (r=0.468, p<0.05) and LDL cholesterol (r=0.438, p<0.05). The findings suggest that marital status, particularly among men, may influence lipid metabolism in hypertensive individuals. Married men exhibited lower HDL levels and a significant association between diastolic blood pressure and both total cholesterol and LDL, indicating a potentially heightened cardiovascular risk profile.