Fibrinogen Levels in Hypertensive and Normotensive: A Cross-Sectional Study from El-Obied City, Sudan

Abstract

Hypertension (HTN) has been defined as a blood pressure level at which an otherwise healthy person would have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease that could be mitigated through blood pressure-lowering treatment. Worldwide, hypertension is one of the most common causes of death. The prevalence of hypertension and cardiovascular disease increases with age, and has been found to be higher in those of South Asian and African ancestry, and in Aboriginal populations. Hypertension is not only one of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular disease, but also the number one modifiable risk factor for stroke. Alterations in blood coagulation system have been reported in patients of hypertension. Fibrinogen has been identified as a major independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study, conducted in Elobied teaching hospital during period from March to June 2014. The aim of this study is to determine the level of fibrinogen among hypertensive patients. Seventy percent of the patients (about 35 patients) had high fibrinogen level above 400 mg/dl compared with the control and about 30% (15 patients) were within the normal range of 200 mg - 400 mg/dl. This study has concluded that there was a significant increase in fibrinogen level in hypertensive patients compared to control, while the gender has no effect on the level of fibrinogen.