Faculty of Medicine

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://repository.ukim.mk/handle/20.500.12188/14

Browse

Settings

Subject: search.filters.subject.Cardiovascular disease

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Loading...
    Thumbnail Image
    Some of the metrics are blocked by your 
    consent settings
    Item type:Publication,
    Antihypertensive Medication Use and Biochemical Outcomes in Primary Care Patients: A Multicenter Study in Kosovo
    (Oriental Scientific Publishing Company, 2026-03-20)
    Alidema, Fitim
    ;
    Kostovska, Irena
    ;
    Alidema, Arieta Hasani
    ;
    Mustafa, Lirim
    Arterial hypertension remains a major public health challenge that requires longterm pharmacological management; however, antihypertensive therapy may also be associated with metabolic and biochemical alterations. This multicenter retrospective study evaluated the association between antihypertensive drug use and biochemical parameters among primary care patients in Kosovo and compared outcomes across three healthcare centers (Prishtina, Ferizaj, and Gjilan). A total of 900 patients with essential hypertension receiving continuous treatment for at least 12 months were included. Data were extracted from medical records and laboratory registers between January 2024 and January 2025 and comprised demographic variables, treatment regimens (monotherapy or combination therapy), and biochemical parameters, including lipid profile, fasting glucose, renal markers, and electrolytes. Statistical analyses included ANOVA or Kruskal–Wallis tests, chi-square tests, correlation analysis, and multivariate logistic regression. Combination therapy was associated with significantly higher levels of LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and creatinine compared to monotherapy (p < 0.05), while lipid alterations were more prominent among patients treated with beta-blockers and diuretics (p < 0.01). The use of two or more antihypertensive drug classes independently predicted an increased risk of dyslipidemia (OR 1.8, 95% CI: 1.2–2.5; p = 0.004). No significant differences were observed in glucose levels between the study centers (p = 0.21). Long-term antihypertensive therapy, particularly polytherapy, is associated with clinically relevant biochemical changes affecting lipid metabolism and renal function, highlighting the necessity for routine laboratory monitoring and individualized treatment optimization in primary care practice.