Prevalence of the elevated urea and creatinine level among hypertensives: Perspective to raise the awareness about disease complications

Abstract

An increasing prevalence of hypertension and mortality rate from hypertension complications especially the end stage kidney disease; urge the establishment of routine test for early detection of kidney disease. The aim of this study is to assess the blood urea and creatinine levels in routine visit of hypertensive individuals. Two hundred hypertension patients were enrolled in this study, the demographic and lifestyle data were collected by pre-designed questionnaire. Urea and creatinine were measured for 151 and 159 patient, respectively, using spectrophotometry kits method. Of the studied hypertensive patients, about two third are females (64.5%), 92% aged more than 40 years. 32.5% had diabetes, and 5.5% had kidney disease. No significant gender difference with regard to the development of complications such as diabetes, stroke, kidney disease and hyperlipidemia (P = 0.7-1.0). In less than ten years duration of hypertension; 32%, 11%, 5% and 49% of the patients develop diabetes, stroke, kidney disease and hyperlipidemia, respectively, which suggest an inadequate disease control. Of the behavioral risk factors salt; intake is significantly higher in males than in females (P = 0.022). 38.4% and 35.2% of the analyzed samples had an elevated urea and creatinine level, respectively. Twenty four of samples (=15%) had both abnormal urea and creatinine. Within less than five years duration of hypertension; 25% and 23% of the patients had abnormal urea and creatinine level, respectively. Insignificant association of neither the abnormal level of urea nor the creatinine with hypertension complications was reported (P >- 0.09), however 36% and 35% of the hypertensive who were not previously diagnosed with kidney disease had an abnormal/elevated urea/creatinine level, respectively. More than thirty five percent of the hypertensives had urea or creatinine measurements above normal levels. Such abnormal level was reported in less than five years duration of hypertension and were also observed in 36% and 35% of the hypertensive who were not previously diagnosed with kidney disease, which indicates an uncontrolled hypertension, lack of awareness of disease complications, thereby reflects the importance of the routine measurement of urea and creatinine.