Journal of Applied Pharmacy
Open Access

Abstract

Hypertension and Related Risk Factors among Clients on Combined Antiretroviral Therapy in Nigeria

Shakirat I Bello and Winified A Ojieabu

The hypertension incidence is a major challenge in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected people globally. A prospective, cross-sectional study comprising two hundred and eighteen HIV-infected patients was conducted in Antiretroviral Therapy Clinic of General Hospital, Offa between November 2015 and December 2016. Patients’ blood pressure was evaluated using Omron automated blood pressure monitor following standard procedures. Dual weight and height balance was utilized to measure the weights and heights of the subjects. Hypertension incidence among patients receiving combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) was 34%, while those that were yet to start cART was 9.6%. In HIV-infected women on cART, the occurrence of hypertension was high (75.5%) as compared with men (24.5%). The hypertension pervasiveness in HIV-infected patients on cART was 75.5% in women and 24.5% in men. Risk factors that were markedly linked with hypertension among patients on cART include body mass index (OR: 3.29, 95% CI: 1.21-2.27; p<0.050), sedentary lifestyle (OR: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.20-5.38; p<0.043), age (OR: 2.17, 95% CI: 1.22-2.33; p<0.004) and gender (OR: 1.63, 95% CI: 0.85-2.41; p<0.037). Patients on cART were found to have higher hypertension prevalence than cART-naive. The cART, however, is not a risk factor for hypertension.