State of Comorbidity in Patients with Hypertension under Conditions of Industrial Production

Abstract

Comorbid conditions in patients with hypertension on the background of occupational hazards create additional problems in the treatment of hypertension. An analysis of working conditions in 76 workers of the Ivano-Frankivsk armature factory who underwent regular medical check-ups regarding first-/second-degree hypertension (the main group) showed that they were exposed to occupational hazards of chemical (acrolein carbon, iron oxide, chromium, fluorine compounds, sulfuric acid) and physical (high temperature, noise, vibration, electromagnetic radiation, dust) nature for a long period of time (from 4 to 11 years). Comorbid conditions were most often observed among the patients of the main group as compared to the patients of the control group (n = 17), who were not exposed to occupational hazards - 82.06% and 73.34% of cases, respectively. In the patients of the main group, chronic bronchitis was detected in 26.56% of cases and coronary artery disease was diagnosed in 25.09% of cases as compared to 8.33% and 18.34% of cases in the control group. At the same time, 38.89% of hypertensive patients of the main group were diagnosed with chronic bronchitis and concomitant coronary artery disease, which were not observed in the patients of the control group. The patients of the main group were more likely to have dyslipidemia, left ventricular hypertrophy, aortic fibrosis, hypertensive retinopathy as compared to the patients of the control group. In the control group, patients with overweight and type 2 diabetes mellitus prevailed. Quality of life assessment using the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey among the patients of the main group revealed a significant decrease in the indicators of physical and vital activity, fulfillment of daily professional duties. In the control group, a worsening emotional state prevailed.