Title:Impaired Fasting Glucose (IFG) Prevalence Among Hypolipidemic Treatment-
naïve Patients with Hypertension
Volume: 18
Issue: 2
Author(s): John Papadakis, Petros Ioannou, George Vrentzos, Vasiliki Theodorakopoulou, Konstantinos Papanikolaou and Theodosios Filippatos*
Affiliation:
- Hypertension Unit (ESH Excellence Center), Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Heraklion, Heraklion,
Crete, Greece
Keywords:
Hypertension, blood pressure, cardiovascular risk, prediabetes, impaired fasting glucose, diabetes.
Abstract:
Background: Impaired fasting glucose (IFG) predisposes to the future development of
type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and may also be associated with increased cardiovascular disease
(CVD) risk. Hypertension is an established CVD risk factor.
Objective: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of IFG and the associated anthropometric and
metabolic disturbances in patients with hypertension.
Methods: Consecutive hypertensive patients not on any hypolipidemic treatment and without a diagnosis
of T2DM were included. IFG was defined as serum glucose ≥100 mg/dl according to the
American Diabetes Association criteria.
Results: The total sample consisted of 1381 participants; between them, 78 patients were diagnosed
to have T2DM and they were excluded from the analyses, leaving a final sample of 1303 hypertensive
patients [41.0% men; median age 58 (range: 15-90) years] not on any hypolipidemic treatment
and without a diagnosis of T2DM. IFG was identified in 469 patients (36%). IFG was more prevalent
in males than in females (42.4% vs. 31.8%, p<0.001). Patients with IFG had greater body mass
index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio, systolic blood pressure, pulse pressure, triglycerides, alanine aminotransferase,
gamma-glutamyl transferase, and uric acid serum levels compared with patients with
normal serum glucose levels.
Conclusion: This study reveals that in a sample of patients with hypertension, one out of three has
IFG. This is more prevalent among men. IFG is associated with the presence of a more aggravated
anthropometric and biochemical profile, possibly associated with an increased CVD risk.
