Prevalence of systemic hypertension in COPD patients with GOLD stage 1 disease

Morbidity and death in COPD patients is greatly influenced by co morbidities. We aim to study the prevalence of systemic hypertension in the initial stages of COPD, i.e. in patients with GOLD stage 1 disease having a FEV1 greater than 80% of predicted value in PFT. We conducted a period prevalence study on patients with early stages of COPD. Patients were evaluated for systemic hypertension after being diagnosed with COPD by pulmonary function test. The study was conducted at Sri Venkateswaraa Medical College Hospital and Research Institute, Chennai. A total of 205 patients were identified with COPD meeting the necessary inclusion and exclusion criteria. 150 patients were male and 55 were female. Among them 53.6% patients were diagnosed with systemic hypertension. 20.9% of the hypertensive patients were having obesity. 95.4% of the patients with hypertension were tobacco smokers. 4.6% of the patients with hypertension were having a history of biomass fuel smoke exposure. Tobacco smoking, biomass fuel smoke exposure and obesity are important factors which influence lung function and many cardiovascular/cerebrovascular diseases. Patients in the early stages of COPD have a higher prevalence of systemic hypertension. Systemic hypertension must be identified and treated early to prevent long term cardiovascular/cerebrovascular complications in COPD patients.