Tinnitus, Dizziness and Hearing Status During Hypertension Diagnosis and Treatment.

OBJECTIVE

High blood pressure (BP) or hypertension (HTN) can impair hearing, causes tinnitus and dizziness. We hypothesized that there is an association between increased BP and hearing impairment (HI), tinnitus and dizziness, and decrease in BP improves these parameters and symptoms.

METHODS

The study included 100 newly-diagnosed HTN patients (systolic BP (SBP) ≥140 mmHg and/or diastolic BP (DBP) ≥90 mmHg) and 100 patients without HTN. Tinnitus and dizziness were evaluated through Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI). The auditory status of all patients was assessed for both right ear (RE) and left ear (LE). BP measurements, THI, DHI, and audiometry tests were repeated at follow-up visit during treatment in HTN patients and delta (Δ) values were obtained.

RESULTS

The median of THI and DHI score and thresholds for hearing parameters were higher in HTN group. At follow-up visit, SBP, DBP, THI, DHI, and most of the hearing parameters significantly improved. ΔSBP significantly correlated with ΔRE average (logarithmically transformed (log10)) and ΔLE average (log10) in partial correlation analysis adjusted for age and Brinkman index. Multivariate linear regression analysis yielded an independent association of ΔRE average (log10) (Beta Coefficient (BC): 12.07, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.86-22.29, P = .021) and ΔLE average (log10) (BC: 14.89, 95% CI: 5.45-24.33, P = .003) with ΔSBP. However, none of the parameters demonstrated an independent association with ΔDBP.

CONCLUSION

HTN patients suffer from tinnitus, dizziness and HI, and BP decrease is associated with improvements in these symptoms and hearing status. Decrease in SBP rather than DBP is associated with improvements in hearing status.