Hyperuricaemia In Essential Hypertension as Seen At Kenyatta National Hospital

Abstract

308 patients with esseantial hypertension have been followed up for 6 months .ie Nov. 1979 - April 1980. 40 of these were knewly diagnosed. The incidence of hyperuricaemia in the non-hypertensive population attending the Outpatient Department is ascertained and used as the control. It was found to be 4.8%. The incidence of hyperuricaemia in untreated patients with essential hypertension was found to be 7.7.5%. This incidence increased to 58.3% once anti-hypertensive therapy was commenced. Hyperuricaemia tended to occur in the severer grades of hypertension. Thiazide diuretics caused elevation of serum uric acid in those patients receiving it while guanethidine and alpha-methyldopa did not do so.