Longitudinal Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressure Change over Time and Associated Risk Factors in Patients with Hypertension in Southwest Ethiopia: A prospective study

Abstract

Background: Hypertension is a chronic disease that has a major health effect on adults and the elderly and is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and other morbidity. The objective of this study was to assess the factors that affect the longitudinal systolic and diastolic blood pressure change over time in hypertensive patients jointly.

Materials and Methods: A prospective study design was employed using follow up records of hypertensive patients during a follow up time of 6 months. The data included 1,100 individuals with a minimum of two and maximum of six measurements per individual from February, 2019, and August, 2019. A joint model was considered to study the joint evolution and associated risk factors affecting the two end points.

Results: Among all covariates included in joint models sex, age, diabetic mellitus, drinking coffee, drinking alcohol, chewing khat, physical exercise were significantly associated with systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Conclusion: There is a strong positive association between the evolution of systolic and diastolic blood pressures. Hypertensive prevention should give stress on factors such as older age, diabetic mellitus, khat chewing, alcohol and coffee use during follow-up time.

Key Words: Joint Model, Systolic Blood Pressure, and Diastolic Blood Pressure