Co-occurrence of Hypertension and Type 2 Diabetes Among Patients Attending Some Selected Hospitals in Umuahia, Abia State

ABSTRACT

Diabetes and hypertension are among the commonest diseases in developed countries and the frequency of both conditions are the most common cause of the morbidity and mortality from non- communicable diseases in Africa. This study was designed to determine factors associated with co-occurrence of hypertension and type 2 diabetes among diabetic patients. A comparative, retrospective, survey study was carried out on 240 adult Nigerians suffering type 2 diabetes, who were screened for hypertension, and 140 of them who had hypertension and met the inclusion criteria were compared with 100 non hypertensive diabetic group. Demographic and some factors associated with hypertension were obtained using a pretested, structured and interviewer-administered questionnaire. Out of 240 diabetic patients screened, one hundred and forty (58.3 percent) of them had hypertension. A systematic sampling technique was used to select the subjects from the study population and data obtained were summarized and analyzed using descriptive and logistic regression statistics respectively. Physical inactivity (P < 0.05), obesity measured by BMI (P < 0.05), Age (P < 0.05), diabetes duration (P < 0.05), family history of hypertension (P < 0.05), and family history of both hypertension and type 2 diabetes (P < 0.05) were significantly associated with hypertension. The most significant associated factor of hypertension in diabetic patients was family history of hypertension (OR=3.1(1.774-5.636), P < 0.05), followed by family history of both health condition (OR=2.5 (1.309-4.724), P < 0.05). Subjects with family history of hypertension were 3.1times more likely to have both disease conditions compared to individual with no family history of hypertension. Subjects with both family history of hypertension and type 2 diabetes were 2.5 times more likely to have both disease condition compared to subjects with no family history of both hypertension and type 2 diabetes. Physical inactivity, obesity measured by BMI, age, family history of hypertension and family history of both hypertension and type 2 diabetes were proximate independent factors associated to comorbidity of hypertension and type 2 diabetes in this group of people. The presence of these factors should therefore provide guide for screening adult Nigerians suffering type 2 diabetes for hypertension in primary care. More of intervention to prevent hypertension among diabetic patients should be a compelling health priority in primary care settings particularly in resource-constrained environment.

Keywords: Hypertension, Type 2 Diabetes, BMI, Family History, Age, Physical Inactivity