Atherogenicity, Oxidative Stress, Heavy Metals and Bioelements Status in Hypertensive Nigerians in an Urban Population

Objectives: This study investigated levels of measured parameters; bio-elements (zinc, copper, selenium, chromium, and manganese), heavy metals (cadmium and lead), oxidative stress biomarkers (vitamin C, Vitamin E, reduced Glutathione-GSH and malondialdehyde-MDA) and lipid profile (cholesterol-CHOL, triglyceride- TG, high-density lipoprotein- HDL, low-density lipoprotein- LDL and VLDL) in primary hypertensive individuals.

Materials and Methods: A total of 74 confirmed hypertensive individuals (30 males, 44 females) of 30-55 years (test subjects) and 46 (22males, 24 females) age-matched apparently healthy normotensive individuals (control) were involved in this study. Atomic absorption spectrophotometer was used to determine the concentrations of bio-elements and toxic metals while spectrophotometric methods were used for the concentrations of oxidative stress biomarkers and lipid fractions.

Results: Comparative analysis between test and control subjects showed significantly reduced concentrations of vitamins C and E, GSH, the bio-elements, HDL and Zinc/Copper ratio. Significantly elevated concentrations of the toxic metals, MDA, CHOL, TG, LDL, and VLDL, the atherogenic indices- LDL/HDL, TC/HDL, and TG/HDL as well as Cadmium/ Zinc ratio. There was indirect association between the bio-elements and atherogenic lipid fractions but a direct correlation with HDL. Also, negative correlations were observed between the heavy metals and the antioxidants biomolecules.

Conclusion: The concentrations of the measured bio-elements, vitamins C and E, GSH and HDL were significantly lower in hypertensive individuals while the levels of heavy metals, cholesterol, TG, LDL and MDA were significantly higher.