Rate of control of LDL cholesterol and incident hypertension requiring antihypertensive treatment in hypercholesterolemic subjects in daily clinical practice.

Introduction: Preliminary evidence suggests that hypercholesterolemia is associated to an increased risk to develop hypertension. We aimed at evaluating the association between low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level and incidence of new onset of hypertension in a large population sample.

Materials And Methods: A population-based cohort of 20,074 subjects with at least one LDL-C measurement between July 2006 and June 2007 and free of antihypertensive treatment (AHT) at baseline was followed from the LDL-C date until death or 31 December 2009.

Awareness of albuminuria in an Italian population-based cohort of patients treated with hypoglycemic drugs.

Background: Albuminuria is a powerful predictor of renal and cardiovascular outcomes in type 2 diabetes and a good indicator of the evolution of renal disease. Our aim was to obtain information concerning the identification of albuminuria as well as the utilization of antihypertensive, lipid-lowering and antiplatelet drugs in patients with diabetes.

Methods: Subjects were enrolled from individuals registered with 3 Italian local health units by querying the drugs reimbursable, hospital laboratory investigation and hospital discharge databases.