Relationship between body mass index (BMI) and changes in plasma total and HDL-cholesterol levels during treatment of hypertension in African patients.

Eighty-one adult Nigerians with essential hypertension were randomly allocated to receive doxazosin, hydrochlorothiazide/amloride, or amlodipine. In each group, the patients were further classified as obese and non-obese, and total cholesterol as well as high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was determined before and after the 3-month treatment period. The total cholesterol level was significantly reduced in the non-obese patients, but did not show any significant change in the obese patients after doxazosin therapy, indicating the beneficial effects of doxazosin therapy in non-obese patients. The levels of total cholesterol increased and HDL cholesterol decreased in both the obese and the non-obese patients after hydrochlorothiazide/amloride therapy. Amlodipine treatment did not cause any significant change in the total and HDL cholesterol levels in both the obese and non-obese patients. These findings are worthy of consideration by clinicians and researchers when selecting the most appropriate drug for antihypertensive pharmacotherapy.