OBJECTIVES: To estimate the health related quality of life (HRQoL) in hypertensive patients in Warangal region by using SF-36 questionnaire.

METHODS: A cross-sectional prospective observational study was undertaken with a cohort of 200 (45-without comorbidities, 155-With comorbidities) hypertensive male and female volunteers that fulfilled the inclusion criteria, with their proper consent for 6 months attending 3 private tertiary care hospitals in Warangal city, India. The Short Form-36 (SF-36) scale was used for the assessment of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) profile of the hypertensive population in Warangal.

RESULTS: We observed that significantly (p<0.05) lower HRQoL values were associated in hypertension patients with older age (>60), lower education level, comorbid conditions, and female gender. Statistical analysis performed by using unpaired T-test and one –way ANOVA revealed that based on unpaired T-test, SF-36 components found to be Hypertension with 1-comorbid condition had significantly impaired General Health (p<0.05, CI:0.35-14.37) , Hypertension with 2-comorbid conditions had significantly (p<0.05) impaired Physical Functioning ( CI: 5.77-24.54), Role functioning/ Emotional (CI: 0.59-33.47), Pain (CI: 0.92-15.32), General Health (CI: 6.10-19.61). Hypertension with 3-comorbid conditions had significantly impaired Physical Functioning (P<0.05, CI: 1.82-34.84) respectively compared to hypertension patients without having any comorbidities.

CONCLUSIONS: This study concluded that hypertensive patients with comorbid conditions had poor HRQoL than without comorbidities hypertension.Comorbidities will deteriorate all aspects of the HRQoL, in our study older age, female gender, Illiterate and rural region were associated with deteriorated HRQoL.This study strongly believed that patient education and enhanced information among the hypertension patients may lead to the better HRQoL.