Assessing Oxidative Stress and Antioxidant Status in Hypertensive Patients in the Governorate of Basrah, Iraq

Abstract

Hypertension is a serious public health issue not just in Iraq but throughout the world. This work sought to assess the effect of oxidative stress by assessing levels of protein carbonyl and antioxidant enzymes in hypertension patients compared to a healthy control group in Basra, Iraq. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are important in oxidative stress. The study included 100 hypertensive patients (44 males and 56 females) and 50 healthy individuals (25 males and 25 females) aged between 35 and 70 years. Venous blood samples were collected from all participants. Known by another name, the silent killer, hypertension is a serious public health issue not just in Iraq but throughout the world. This work sought to assess the effect of oxidative stress by assessing levels of protein carbonyl and antioxidant enzymes in hypertension patients compared to a healthy control group in Basra, Iraq. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are important in oxidative stress. All studied antioxidant enzymes showed high discriminatory ability between hypertensive patients and healthy individuals through ROC analysis. The study shows that oxidative stress is a major factor in the development of high blood pressure in people in Basra, Iraq. It also shows the connection between lower antioxidant enzyme activity and higher oxidative stress. The study suggests the use of antioxidants as a successful tool for disease detection and considers them key chemical indicators of hypertension.