The environmental and genetic evidence for the association of hyperlipidemia and hypertension.

Objective: Both hyperlipidemia and hypertension are the risk factors for coronary heart disease. Although studies have shown that there is an association between plasma lipid and blood pressure levels, the association of hyperlipidemia and hypertension is still not well established. The present study was undertaken to compare the differences in several environmental and genetic factors between hyperlipidemia and hypertension in the Guangxi Hei Yi Zhuang population.

Methods: A total of 1669 participants were surveyed by a stratified randomized cluster sampling. Information on environmental factors was collected with standardized questionnaires. Genotyping of angiotensin-converting enzyme, angiotensinogen, angiotensin receptor 2, apolipoprotein (apo) A-I, apoB, apoE, cholesteryl ester transfer protein, G-protein beta-3 subunit, hepatic lipase, lipoprotein lipase, microsomal triglyceride transfer protein, regulator of G-protein signaling 2, and sterol regulatory element-binding protein-2 was also performed.

Results: There were 358 (21.45%) participants with isolated hyperlipidemia, 257 (15.40%) with isolated hypertension, 189 (11.32%) with both conditions, and 865 (51.83%) normals. Hyperlipidemia was positively correlated with age, BMI, alcohol consumption, total energy and total fat intake, apoE, and microsomal triglyceride transfer protein genotypes, and negatively associated with total dietary fiber intake, apoA-I, and lipoprotein lipase genotypes. Hypertension was positively correlated with male sex, age, hyperlipidemia, total energy, total fat, and sodium intake, apoE, angiotensin receptor 2, and microsomal triglyceride transfer protein genotypes, and negatively associated with education level, total dietary fiber intake, angiotensin-converting enzyme, apoA-I, and lipoprotein lipase genotypes.

Conclusion: These findings suggest that hyperlipidemia and hypertension have many common risk factors. Hyperlipidemia is associated with hypertension in many aspects.