Aneeqa Ilyas, Adeel Ahmad, Muhammad Shaheryar Akram Toor.
Hypertension as a risk factor for atrial fibrillation in patients presenting in outdoor department of tertiary care hospitals.
J Cardiovascular Dis Jan ;14(1):11-5.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is one of the major cause of vascular disease leading to cerebrovascular events, coronary heart disease and peripheral vascular disease. Hypertension is associated with atrial fibrillation. If both problems combine, the prognosis may be fatal. OBJECTIVE: To assess the association of hypertension with atrial fibrillation in patients presenting in outdoor departments of two tertiary care hospitals. Materials and Methods: This case control study was conducted at departments of cardiology, outdoor patients (OPD) of Mayo hospital and Jinnah Hospital, Lahore for six months from January to June, 2017. Cases of atrial fibrillation and controls without atrial fibrillation were included. Blood pressure was noted and history of hypertension was noted and patient taking antihypertensive was observed. Odds ratio was calculated. RESULTS: The mean age of cases was 50.37±6.01years and the mean age of controls was 50.33±6.09years. There were 79 (43.9%) males and 101 (56.1%) females in case group while there were 91 (50.6%) males and 89 (49.4%) females in control group. The mean SBP of cases was 151.38±27.48 mmHg and of controls was 132.92±21.98mmHg. The mean DBP of cases was 89.28±11.09mmHg while of controls was 82.14±9.64mmHg. There was significantly high SBP and DBP among cases as compared to controls (p<0.001). But the history of use of antihypertensive was almost comparable in cases and controls i.e. 81.5% vs. 81.6%, p>0.05. Among cases, hypertension was present in 108 (60.0%) patients while among controls, hypertension was present in 38 (21.1%) patients. The odds ratio of atrial fibrillation was 5.605 (95% CI; 3.518-8.932) in patients of hypertension (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: There is a significant association of hypertension with atrial fibrillation.

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