Frequency of Hyperuricemia in Hypertensive Patients Presenting to Ayub Teaching Hospital

Background: Hyperuricemia is increasingly recognized as a common comorbidity in patients with hypertension and a potential contributor to cardiovascular risk. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of hyperuricemia among hypertensive patients presenting to a tertiary care hospital and to identify associated demographic and clinical factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 176 hypertensive patients attending Ayub Teaching Hospital, Abbottabad from September 2024 to February 2025. Hyperuricemia was defined as serum uric acid >7 mg/dL in males or >6 mg/dL in females. Data on demographics, clinical characteristics, and relevant factors (including gender, age, obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemia, alcohol consumption, diuretic use, chronic kidney disease, smoking, hypertriglyceridemia, and central obesity) were collected. Associations were analyzed using Chi-square tests of independence. Results: The prevalence of hyperuricemia in hypertensive patients was 61.4% (108/176 patients) in our study. Hyperuricemia showed significant associations with male gender, older age (≥60 years, obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m²; diuretic use, chronic kidney disease, smoking, hypertriglyceridemia, and central obesity. No significant associations were found with diabetes, overall dyslipidemia, beta-blocker use, or ACE inhibitor/ARB use. Conclusion: Hyperuricemia is highly prevalent in hypertensive patients in tertiary care settings, with strong links to male gender, advanced age, obesity-related factors, renal impairment, smoking, and diuretic therapy. These findings highlight the need for routine uric acid screening in high-risk hypertensive subgroups to facilitate early intervention and mitigate associated cardiovascular complications.