Research article

Antihypertensive drug class and impaired fasting glucose: a risk association study among Chinese patients with uncomplicated hypertension

Martin CS Wong¹ , Johnny Y Jiang¹ , H Fung² , Sian Griffiths¹ and Stewart Mercer^1,3

¹School of Public Health and Department of Community and Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong China

²Hospital Authority, Hong Kong SAR. 11/F, clinical sciences building, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong China

³General Practice and Primary Care, Division of Community-based sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 9LX, UK

author email corresponding author email

BMC Clinical Pharmacology 2008, 8:6doi:10.1186/1472-6904-8-6

Published:	10 September 2008

Abstract

Background

There is a scarcity of studies addressing the factors associated with impaired fasting glucose in Chinese patients with uncomplicated hypertension. We included 1,218 patients newly prescribed a single antihypertensive drug in the public primary healthcare setting in Hong Kong, where their fasting glucose levels were measured 6–7 weeks after the first-ever antihypertensive prescription.

Methods

The odds ratios of having above borderline (≥ 6.1 mmol/l) and adverse (≥ 7.0 mmol/l) glucose levels, respectively, were studied according to patient age, gender, socioeconomic status, clinic types and antihypertensive drug classes by multivariable regression analyses.

Results

The fasting glucose levels were statistically similar (p = 0.786) among patients prescribed thiazide diuretics (5.48 mmol/l, 95%, 5.38, 5.59), calcium channel blockers (5.46 mmol/l, 95% C.I. 5.37, 5.54), β-blockers (5.42 mmol/l, 95% C.I. 5.34, 5.51) and drugs acting on the renin angiotensin system (RAS) [5.41 mmol/l, 95% C.I. 5.20, 5.61]. Multivariate analyses reported no significant associations between antihypertensive drug class and impaired fasting glucose. Elderly patients and male gender were significantly more likely to present with above borderline and adverse readings respectively.

Conclusion

Clinicians should be aware of the increased risk of impaired fasting glucose in these groups, and use of thiazides should not in itself deter its use as a first-line antihypertensive agent among ethnic Chinese patients.