Hypertension and antihypertensive treatment in veterans with spinal cord injury and disorders Journal Article

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Authors: Barry, W.; St Andre, J. R.; Evans, C. T.; Sabharwal, S.; Miskevics, S; Weaver, F M; Smith, B. M.
Article Title: Hypertension and antihypertensive treatment in veterans with spinal cord injury and disorders
Abstract: OBJECTIVES: Hypertension (HTN) is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease, a major cause of morbidity and mortality among people with spinal cord injury and disorders (SCI/D). Our study examined prevalence, associated factors, and pharmacological treatment of HTN in Veterans with SCI/D compared with a matched control group. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of Veterans with traumatic SCI/D (TSCI/D; n=6672), non-traumatic SCI/D (NTSCI/D; n=3566) and a matched, non-injured cohort. RESULTS: Over half of patients with TSCI/D (56.6%) had HTN, compared with 68.4% of matched controls (P0.05). Paraplegic and tetraplegic Veterans with NTSCI/D did not have significantly different odds of a HTN diagnosis compared with control (OR=0.92 (0.79-1.05); OR=0.85 (0.71-1.01)). Adjusted analysis indicates that Veterans with tetraplegia and HTN were less likely to receive antihypertensive therapy (TSCI/D, OR=0.62 (0.53-0.71); NTSCI/D, OR=0.81 (0.66-0.99)). CONCLUSION: HTN appears to be more prevalent in SCI/D Veterans than previously reported. TSCI/D Veterans have a significantly lower prevalence of HTN whereas NTSCI/D Veterans have a comparable prevalence of HTN to those without SCI/D. The level of injury (tetraplegia vs paraplegia) has a large impact on the prevalence of HTN in the traumatic cohort. Subsequent antihypertensive therapy is used less in both TSCI/D and NTSCI/D Veterans with tetraplegia and more in TSCI/D Veterans with paraplegia.
Journal Title: Spinal cord
Volume: 51
Issue: 2
ISSN: 1476-5624; 1362-4393
Publisher: Unknown  
Journal Place: England
Date Published: 2013
Start Page: 109
End Page: 115
Language: eng
DOI/URL:

10.1038/sc.2012.122

10.1038/sc.2012.122
Notes: ID: 13145; JID: 9609749; 2012/10/30 [aheadofprint]; ppublish