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Untreated hypertension increases risk for intracerebral hemorrhage

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The risk for intracerebral hemorrhage is more than nine times higher for men and women with untreated hypertension compared to those without hypertension, researchers reported at the International Stroke Conference.

Treatment of hypertension appears to have a substantial impact on risk for intracerebral hemorrhage, according to Kyle Walsh, MD, assistant professor of emergency medicine at University of Cincinnati, and colleagues.

Researchers evaluated the risk for treated vs. untreated hypertension on intracerebral hemorrhage using data from the Ethnic/Racial Variations of Intracerebral Hemorrhage (ERICH) study. From September 2010 to June 2015, the study enrolled 891 white, 833 black and 599 Hispanic case-control pairs. 

The proportion of untreated hypertension was higher among black and Hispanic participants with intracerebral hemorrhage compared with white participants (43.3% and 48.3%, respectively, vs. 33.2%; P = .0002 and P < .0001, respectively).

In additional analyses adjusted for alcohol use, anticoagulation, education, hypercholesterolemia and insurance status, treated hypertension was a significant risk factor for intracerebral hemorrhage among white participants (OR = 1.72; 95% CI, 1.33-2.22), black participants (OR = 3.04; 95% CI, 2.13-4.34) and Hispanic participants (OR = 2.57; 95% CI, 1.64-4; P < .0001 for all).

Untreated hypertension was a significantly greater risk factor for intracerebral hemorrhage for all three racial/ethnic groups: white (OR = 9.53; 95% CI, 5.88-15.45), black (OR = 11.1; 95% CI, 7.06-17.47) and Hispanic (OR = 9.65; 95% CI, 5.49-16.95; P < .0001 for all).

“The risk … conveyed by high blood pressure seemed to be greater in blacks and Hispanics compared to whites, and there seems to be an interaction between ethnicity and race and that of hypertension, again both treated and untreated,” Opeolu M. Adeoye, MD, associate professor of emergency medicine and neurosurgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, stated. – by Tracey Romero

Reference:

Walsh KB, et al. Abstract 126. Presented at: International Stroke Conference; Feb. 16-19, 2016; Los Angeles.

Disclosures: Adeoye and Walsh report no relevant financial disclosures.