Evaluation of Hearing in Hypertensive Subjects

Abstract

Objective: To find out the effect of systemic hypertension on 1) pure tone audiometry (PTA), 2) distortion product emissions (DPOAE) in adults.

Method: A clinical controlled prospective study was conducted between January 2011 and December 2011 at Umraniye Education and Research Hospital Otolaryngology Clinic. Thirty subjects with systemic hypertension and 30 controls were included. All subjects underwent a physical examination, including fundus examination, PTA, and DPOAE.

Results: Percentage of tinnitus in subjects with hypertension and in controls was 90% and 40%, respectively (P = .001). PTA revealed a significantly higher sensorineural hearing loss in all frequencies above 500 Hz in the hypertensives (P < .05). In the right ear DPOAE revealed response at 4000 and 6000 Hz in 80% of hypertensive patients and 96.7% of controls (P = .103) and 20% of hypertensive patients and 96.7% of controls, respectively. In the left ear, DPOAE revealed response at 4000 and 6000 Hz in 73.3% of hypertensive patients and 96.7% of controls (P = .026) and 26.7% of hypertensive patients and 93.3% of controls (P = .001), respectively.

Conclusion: Isolated hypertension affects vascular psychodynamics of cochlea and results in a hearing loss at and over 4000 Hz at pure tone audiometry and significant loss of distortion product otoacoustic emissions at 4000 to 6000 Hz.