Hypertension (HT) is a systemic disorder that results in the decline of quality of life and death. While patients with periodontitis are at a high risk of HT, little causal information has been provided to date. To clarify the relationship, periodontopathic bacterial infection in cardiovascular patients with or without HT was evaluated. The subjects were patients with (n = 412) or without (n = 199) HT who attended Tokyo Medical and Dental University hospital. Blood examinations and periodontal measurements were performed. Three periodontopathic bacteria existence and antibody titers were evaluated. We found that specific periodontopathic bacteria, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Prevotella intermedia, were highly detected in male subjects with HT compared to non-HT subjects, while they were comparable in the female patients. Mean probing pocket depth of elderly male patients with HT was higher compared to non-HT patients. The rates of obesity, dyslipidemia, and diabetes showed partial statistical difference between the two groups. Specific periodontopathic bacterial infection may affect HT in male cardiovascular patients.
Keywords: Bacteria; Cardiovascular disease; Hypertension; Periodontal disease.