Background Comparison of prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors not included in the SCORE index in patients with mild and moderate hypertension and different risk of cardiovascular death according to SCORE charts in the RISK study population. SCORE index includes only some of the significant cardiovascular risk factors.
Material and methods 1054 patients with grade 1 or 2 new-onset or not treated essential hypertension, aged 53.4 ± 11.7 years admitted to specialist outpatient clinics in Poland were included in the study. 10-years cardiovascular death risk (according to SCORE charts for high-risk regions of Europe) was assessed in each patient. Subsequently the prevalence of other cardiovascular risk factors eg. positive family history, obesity, high triglyceride, creatinine, uric acid, glucose levels, were compared in subgroups of different risk of cardiovascular death (< 5%, 5-9%, > 9%) using chi square test.
Results The final assessment included 1038 patients. Low risk (below 5%) was present in 615 patients, high risk (5-10%) was present in 249 patients and significantly high risk (over 10%) - in 174 patients. There were no significant differences of positive familiar history of hypertension and premature cardiovascular events, isolated systolic hypertension, obesity, high heart rate and high uric acid level between subgroups with different cardiovascular risk according to SCORE charts. Elevated glucose, creatinine and triglycerides levels were significantly more frequent in subgroup with low risk (below 5%) than in subgroup with significantly high risk (over 10%) according to SCORE charts.
Conclusions Higher cardiovascular risk according to SCORE charts is associated with higher triglyceride, creatinine and glucose levels but not with increased heart rate, positive family history of HTN or premature cardiovascular events, hyperuricemia and obesity.