GLYCOSYLATED HAEMOGLOBIN IN PATIENTS WITH ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSION

In this study, we compared the level of glycosylated haemoglobin in patients with essential hypertension and healthy controls. 70 non-diabetic patients with essential hypertension were recruited into the study along with 140 controls without any significant medical history. Persons with a history of metabolic disease, anaemia, renal disease, splenectomy, pregnancy, or on medication were excluded from the study. A blood sample was taken from each participant and immediately sent to the EEMRC laboratory, where fasting blood sugar and glycosylated haemoglobin levels were measured by the glucose oxidase and thiobarbituric acid (colorimetry) method, respectively. The unpaired t-test was used to compare means. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. Mean fasting blood glucose was 103.1±16.1mg/dl in the hypertensive group and 92±7mg/dl in controls (p<0.05). Mean glycosylated haemoglobin levels were 7.38±0.78% in the hypertensive group and 6.5±0.85% in controls (p<0.05). People with essential hypertension have a higher level of glycosylated haemoglobin than healthy controls.