To investigate whether treatment-resistant hypertension, defined as hypertension that remains inadequately controlled despite multiple anti-hypertensive therapies, is associated with fibrotic conditions.
Key Findings:
16.50% of individuals had treatment-resistant hypertension.
Fibrotic conditions were more prevalent in treatment-resistant hypertension (75.40% [95% CI: 75.20–75.60]) compared to managed hypertension (68.90% [95% CI: 68.81–70.01]).
Significant associations were found between treatment-resistant hypertension and various fibrotic conditions, including cardiomyopathy (ORadj: 1.85, 95% CI: 1.81–1.90) and liver fibrosis (ORadj: 1.52, 95% CI: 1.46–1.58).
Interpretation:
The findings suggest a potential common pathway between treatment-resistant hypertension and fibrotic conditions, warranting further investigation into shared mechanisms, such as inflammation or vascular remodeling.
Limitations:
Study is cross-sectional, limiting causal inference.
Relying on electronic health records may introduce biases in data collection, such as incomplete data or misclassification of conditions.
Conclusion:
Further research is needed to explore the association between treatment-resistant hypertension and fibrotic conditions to understand underlying mechanisms, which could inform treatment strategies.
by Georgie M Massen, Philip W Stone, R Gisli Jenkins, Richard J Allen, Louise V Wain, Iain Stewart, Upasana Tayal, Jennifer K Quint, on behalf of the DEMISTIFI consortium
