SERUM LIPID PROFILE AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH HYPERTENSION IN INDIA – A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Background

Hypertension is widely encountered in Indian outpatient practice, often appearing alongside other metabolic disturbances that go unnoticed for several years. Lipid abnormalities are among the most frequent of these accompanying changes, yet their relationship with hypertension in community settings is not always clear, especially when individuals seek care irregularly or undergo testing only during screening drives.

Objective

To examine how fasting lipid parameters vary between hypertensive and normotensive adults in an Indian community sample, and to explore whether specific lipid markers show stronger associations with elevated blood pressure.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included 260 adults recruited from community screening camps and routine outpatient visits. Blood pressure was measured using standard procedures, and hypertension was defined as systolic ≥140 mmHg or diastolic ≥90 mmHg. Fasting lipid profiles were obtained through enzymatic assays. Associations between lipid markers and hypertension were analysed using t-tests, chi-square tests, and subgroup comparisons across age, sex, and BMI.

Results

Hypertension was present in a little over one-third of participants. Mean total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and triglyceride levels were noticeably higher among hypertensive adults, while HDL-cholesterol tended to be lower. These differences were most apparent in middle-aged and overweight groups. The proportion of participants with dyslipidaemia was also significantly higher in the hypertensive category (p<0.001). LDL-cholesterol showed the strongest association with hypertension, followed by triglycerides.

Conclusion

In this community sample, lipid abnormalities were more frequent and more pronounced among adults with hypertension. The pattern suggests a shared metabolic pathway that may begin earlier than overt disease. Incorporating routine lipid assessment into community blood pressure screening may help identify individuals at higher cardiometabolic risk in India.