Workplace Hypertension Is Associated with Obesity and Family History of Hypertension

Obesity as a Risk Factor for Hypertension and Diabetes among Truck Drivers in a Logistics Company, South Africa

Despite the occupational nature of truckers predisposing them to cardiovascular diseases and risk factors, data is scarce on their prevalence of obesity and its association with developing hypertension (HBP) and diabetes in South Africa. Extracted from the original cross-sectional study of a sample of 312 employees in a logistics company, a census of 96 male truckers was used to determine the prevalence of obesity and its association with HBP and diabetes. WHO STEPwise approach was used to collect data, including systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure and anthropometry measurements. HBP is defined as SBP/DBP ≥ 140/90 mmHg, overweight/obesity as BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2, abdominal obesity by waist circumference as WC ≥ 90cm, waist-to-hip-ratio as WHR ≥ 0.90, and waist-to-height ratio as WHtR ≥ 0.5. Data were analysed using SPSS 22. The mean age of truckers was 46 years, 29% were smokers, and 57% alcohol users, while 26% were physically inactive. The prevalence of overweight (44%) and obesity (30%) were observed, while abdominal obesity was high; WC (59%), WHR (65%), and WHtR (80%). HBP (57%) was prevalent and diabetes was 14%. The odds of developing HBP were high for obese truckers by WC [AOR = 4.68; CI = 1.92–11.34)] and by WHtR [AOR = 5.49 CI = 1.74–17.27), while diabetes was associated with WHR (AOR = 1.19; CI = 1.19–31.21). This study showed an associative link between obesity, HBP, and diabetes among the truckers, which is informative for a relevant prevention programme tailored to their needs.

Undiagnosed Hypertension in a Workplace: The Case of a Logistics Company in Gauteng, South Africa

A large proportion of the population with hypertension remains undiagnosed, untreated, or inadequately treated, contributing to the rising burden of cardiovascular diseases in South Africa. A workplace may either mitigate or accentuate the risk factors for hypertension. A cross sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of undiagnosed hypertension and associated factors among 312 employees in a Logistics Company, South Africa. A modified, validated, self-administered WHO STEPwise questionnaire was used to collect data on demography, lifestyle factors, anthropometry and blood pressure (BP). Hypertension was defined at BP ≥ 140/90 mmHg. Data was analysed using STATA 14. Mean age of employees was 40 ± 10 years, with a 50% prevalence of undiagnosed hypertension. No significant association was observed between occupation and undiagnosed hypertension, except for high prevalence of undiagnosed hypertension among truck drivers and van assistants (43%), and general workers (27%), having higher odds of increased waist-to-height ratio. Hypertension was associated with age (OR = 2.3, 95%CI; 1.21–4.27), alcohol use (AOR = 1.8, 95%CI; 1.05–2.93), waist circumference (AOR = 2.3, 95%CI; 1.29–4.07) and waist-to-height-ratio (AOR = 3.7, 95%CI; 1.85–7.30). Improved and effective workplace health programs and policies are necessary for management of undiagnosed hypertension among employees. Longitudinal studies on mediation of occupation in association of demographic and lifestyle factors with hypertension in workplaces are needed.

[Impact of socioeconomic factors on blood pressure control: Observational study about 2887 hypertensive patients]

INTRODUCTION

Despite therapeutic progress, less than half of hypertensive patients are controlled. The objective of this study was to examine the links between blood pressure control and socioeconomic factors.

METHODS

We used data collected in the cardiology department of Sfax University Hospital as part of the Tunisian national hypertension registry. We studied the associations between the socio-economic variables (educational level, profession, medical insurance) and optimal blood pressure control (SBP<140mmHg and DBP<90mmHg) using logistic regression models.

RESULTS

The average age of our population was 65 and the sex ratio was 0.95. We found, as expected, the clinical and behavioral factors associated with a good blood pressure control, namely: female sex, low-sodium diet, therapeutic compliance, and regular physical activity. However, obesity and an increased number of antihypertensive drugs have been associated with poor blood pressure control. The study of the effect of socio-economic variables on BP control finds a significant gradient against the most disadvantaged social categories for our three social variables in the univariate analysis. The inclusion of clinical and behavioral factors in the multivariate analysis attenuated these associations but did not fully explain them.

CONCLUSION

Our study shows that there are social inequalities in the control of blood pressure. Social justice and improving living conditions are probably the real solutions to the problem of these social inequalities in health.

Self-measured worksite blood pressure and its association with organ damage in working adults: Japan Morning Surge Home Blood Pressure (J-HOP) worksite study

The effects of elevations in blood pressure (BP) on worksite stress as an out-of-office BP setting have been evaluated using ambulatory BP monitoring but not by self-measurement. Herein, we determined the profile of self-measured worksite BP in working adults and its association with organ damage in comparison with office BP and home BP measured by the same home BP monitoring device. A total of 103 prefectural government employees (age 45.3 ± 9.0 years, 77.7% male) self-measured their worksite BP at four timepoints (before starting work, before and after a lunch break, and before leaving the workplace) and home BP in the morning, evening, and nighttime (at 2, 3, and 4 a.m.) each day for 14 consecutive days. In the total group, the average worksite systolic BP (SBP) was significantly higher than the morning home SBP (129.1 ± 14.3 vs. 124.4 ± 16.4 mmHg, p = .026). No significant difference was observed among the four worksite SBP values. Although the average worksite BP was higher than the morning home BP in the study participants with office BP < 140/90 mmHg (SBP: 121.4 ± 9.4 vs. 115.1 ± 10.4 mmHg, p < .001, DBP: 76.0 ± 7.7 vs. 72.4 ± 8.4 mmHg, p = .013), this association was not observed in those with office BP ≥ 140/90 mmHg or those using antihypertensive medication. Worksite SBP was significantly correlated with the left ventricular mass index evaluated by echocardiography (r = 0.516, p < .0001). The self-measurement of worksite BP would be useful to unveil the risk of hypertension in working adults who show normal office and home BP.

Excess intake of fat and sugar potentiates epinephrine-induced hyperglycemia in male rats

AIMS

Over the past five decades, per capita caloric intake has increased significantly, and diet- and stress-related diseases are more prevalent. The stress hormone epinephrine stimulates hepatic glucose release during a stress response. The present experiment tested the hypothesis that excess caloric intake alters this ability of epinephrine to increase blood glucose.

METHODS

Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a high-energy cafeteria-style diet (HED). Weight gain during the first 5 days on the diet was used to divide the rats into an HED-lean group and HED-obese group. After 9 weeks, the rats were injected with epinephrine, and blood glucose was measured.

RESULTS

HED-obese rats gained body and fat mass, and developed insulin resistance (IR) and hepatic steatosis. HED-lean and control rats did not differ. Epinephrine produced larger increases in blood glucose in the HED-obese rats than in the HED-lean and control rats. Removing the high-energy components of the diet for 4 weeks reversed the potentiated effects of epinephrine on glucose and corrected the IR but not the steatosis or obesity.

CONCLUSIONS

Consumption of a high-energy cafeteria diet potentiates epinephrine-induced hyperglycemia. This effect is associated with insulin resistance but not adiposity or steatosis and is reversed by 4 weeks of standard chow.

Inverse association of des-acyl ghrelin with worksite blood pressure in overweight/obese male workers

BACKGROUND

Job strain, defined as a combination of high job demands and low job control, has been reported to elevate blood pressure (BP) during work. Meanwhile, a recent experimental study showed that ghrelin blunted the BP response to such mental stress. In the present study, we examined the hypothesis that des-acyl ghrelin may have some beneficial effects on worksite BP through modulating the BP response to work-related mental stress, i.e., job strain.

METHODS

Subjects were 34 overweight/obese male day-shift workers (mean age 41.7 ± 6.7 years). No subjects had received any anti-hypertensive medication. A 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring was recorded every 30 min on a regular working day. The average BP was calculated for Work BP, Morning BP, and Home BP. Job strain was assessed using the short version of the Japanese Job Content Questionnaire.

RESULTS

Des-acyl ghrelin showed significant inverse correlations with almost all BPs except Morning SBP, Morning DBP, and Home DBP. In multiple regression analysis, des-acyl ghrelin inversely correlated with Work SBP after adjusting for confounding factors. Des-acyl ghrelin was also negatively associated with BP changes from Sleep to Morning, Sleep to Work, and Sleep to Home.

CONCLUSIONS

Des-acyl ghrelin was inversely associated with Worksite BP, suggesting a unique beneficial effect of des-acyl ghrelin on Worksite BP in overweight/obese male day-shift workers.

Low-grade inflammation and ambulatory blood pressure response to antihypertensive treatment: the ALPHABET study

BACKGROUND

We examined whether the level of highsensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), a marker of low-grade inflammation, predicted the response of clinic and ambulatory blood pressure (BP) to antihypertensive treatment.

METHODS

A randomized, open-label, multicenter trial was performed in 88 hypertensive patients (mean age = 63.4 years) allocated to receive losartan 50 mg or amlodipine 5 mg for 4 weeks, and each treatment was changed to losartan 50 mg/hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) 12.5 mg in combination or amlodipine 10 mg for a further 4 weeks. Clinic and ambulatory BP were measured before and after 8 weeks of treatment, and hsCRP was measured at baseline.

RESULTS

The patients were divided into groups with hsCRP levels above and below the median (0.47 mg/L) for the study population. In the total population, 24-hour systolic BP (SBP) (P = 0.03) and daytime SBP (P = 0.01) were significantly higher in the above-median hsCRP group after 8 weeks of treatment. In multivariable regression analysis, baseline hsCRP was a significant determinant of the percentage change in daytime SBP (β = 0.29; P = 0.02) in the total population. In the losartan/HCTZ treatment group, changes in 24-hour SBP, daytime SBP, and diastolic BP were significantly smaller in the above-median hsCRP group than the below-median hsCRP group, whereas the amlodipine group did not show these differences.

CONCLUSIONS

Baseline low-grade inflammation in patients with hypertension was associated with a poor ambulatory BP response, especially with losartan/HCTZ treatment. Initial measurement of hsCRP could be useful for selection of an appropriate antihypertensive drug.

Diurnal blood pressure variation and related behavioral factors

Blood pressure (BP) varies according to many internal and external factors, and behavioral factors have an important role in diurnal BP variation. BP rises sharply on waking in the morning and falls during sleep at night, although it varies throughout the day and night. These changes in BP are closely related to mental and physical activities, and the sympathetic nervous system mainly contributes to the diurnal variation in BP. Other behavioral factors, such as food consumption and obesity, dietary intake of sodium, drinking and smoking habits, consumption of coffee and tea, and bathing, also affect the diurnal variation in BP. Alterations in diurnal BP variation due to behavioral factors are frequently seen in patients with hypertension and can be classified as morning hypertension, daytime hypertension and nighttime hypertension. Appropriate lifestyle modifications may normalize or improve both the level and rhythm of BP in these patients.

Detection of masked hypertension and the 'mask effect' in patients with well-controlled office blood pressure

BACKGROUND

Masked hypertension (MH) is characterized by its hidden nature and poor prognosis. However, it is not practical to routinely recommend home or ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (HBP or AMBP) to all patients with apparently well-controlled BP. The purpose of this study is to present, within the group of patients with well-controlled office BP (OBP), the clinical predictors of MH and to evaluate the gap (ie, the `mask effect' (ME)) between OBP and HBP.

METHODS AND RESULTS

BP was measured at the outpatient clinic and at home in 1,019 treated hypertensive patients. Candidate predictors for MH were analyzed within 511 patients with well-controlled OBP (45.6% men, 57.1±9.0 years). Among them, the prevalence of MH was 20.9% (n=107). In the multivariate-adjusted analysis, the risk of MH increased with high serum fasting blood glucose level (odds ratio (OR) 1.009, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.001-1.018, P=0.020), higher systolic OBP (OR 1.075, 95%CI 1.045-1.106, P<0.001), higher diastolic OBP (OR 1.045, 95%CI 1.007-1.084, P=0.019) and the number of antihypertensive medications (OR 1.320, 95%CI 1.113-1.804, P=0.021). Furthermore, systolic HBP correlated well with systolic OBP (r=0.351, P<0.001) and with the degree of systolic ME (r=-0.672, P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

To recognize MH, it is practical to investigate those patients who are taking multiple antihypertensive drugs and have a high OBP with a high FBG level. The term "ME" identifies MH more appropriately than the term "negative white-coat effect".

Masked hypertension definition, impact, outcomes: a critical review

The phenomenon of masked hypertension (MH) is defined as a clinical condition in which a patient's office blood pressure (BP) level is <140/90 mm Hg but ambulatory or home BP readings are in the hypertensive range. The prevalence in the population is about the same as that of isolated office hypertension; about 1 in 7 or 8 persons with a normal office BP level may fall into this category. The high prevalence of MH would suggest the necessity for measuring out-of-office BP in persons with apparently normal or well-controlled office BP. Reactivity to daily life stressors and behavioral factors such as smoking, alcohol use, contraceptive use in women, and sedentary habits can selectively influence MH. MH should be searched for in individuals who are at increased risk for cardiovascular complications including patients with kidney disease or diabetes. Individuals with MH have been shown to have a greater-than-normal prevalence of organ damage, particularly with an increased prevalence of metabolic risk factors, left ventricular mass index, carotid intima-media thickness, and impaired large artery distensibility compared with patients with a truly normal BP level in and out of the clinic or office. Also, outcome studies have suggested that MH increases cardiovascular risk, which appears to be close to that of in-office and out-of-office hypertension. The aim of this review was to define the entity of MH, to describe its prevalence in the general population, and to discuss its correlation with cardiovascular events.

Association between obesity and chronic kidney disease in Japanese: differences in gender and hypertensive status?

Obesity is a known risk factor for hypertension and diabetes, both of which ultimately promote renal dysfunction. In the current study, we investigated the association between body mass index (BMI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in 8,168 Japanese individuals (2,924 women, 5,244 men) who underwent general health screening. CKD was diagnosed if the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) (designated as low eGFR) and/or if the urinary albumin/creatinine value was equal to or greater than 30 mg/g (designated as albuminuria). Logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, systolic blood pressure, fasting glucose, and smoking habits showed that, in men, both overweight (BMI 25-29 kg/m(2)) and obesity (BMI >or=30 kg/m(2)) were associated with increased prevalence of low eGFR and albuminuria, whereas, in women, obesity was associated with albuminuria, but neither overweight nor obesity was associated with low eGFR. After multivariate adjustment, logistic regression analysis showed that BMI had a graded association with both low eGFR and albuminuria in men. On the other hand, in women, the second and third BMI quartiles were associated with a lower prevalence of albuminuria in comparison with the first BMI quartile. Essentially the same results were obtained when the subjects were subdivided according to the presence and absence of hypertension. Our data showed that overweight and obesity were associated with increased risk for CKD in Japanese individuals undergoing a general health screening, irrespective of the presence or absence of hypertension, although there was a gender difference in these associations.

[Abnormal patterns of diurnal blood pressure variation and cardiovascular remodeling in elderly hypertensive patients]

Hypertension causes left ventricular hypertrophy and increases in large artery stiffness with ageing, both of which are cardiovascular risks. We studied cardiovascular remodeling in elderly hypertensive patients by measuring blood brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), left ventricular mass indices (LVMI), pulse wave velocities (PWV), and ambulatory blood pressures. We focused on ageing and sex-differences. Both LVMI and PWV correlated significantly with nocturnal blood pressures, which in turn correlated with BNP levels. Thus, BNP might be a candidate for a surrogate endpoint of target organ damage in elderly cases of hypertension. Left ventricular hypertrophy progressed with ageing more in women. Systolic blood pressures in women were shown to rise abruptly after menopause and to surpass those in men. However, more non-dippers were observed in men, suggesting that the absolute value of nocturnal blood pressure is a determinant of left ventricular hypertrophy. PWV accelerated with ageing, but it did not correlate with LVMI, suggesting that progression of cardiac remodeling with ageing was relatively independent of vascular remodeling. Finally, the greater mortality in elderly women might be associated with progressive left ventricular hypertrophy.