BACKGROUND: Several hypotheses suggest a temporary increase in blood pressure following smoking cessation. This may be the result of endocrine changes (e.g. alteration in adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol levels in post-cessation period) and/or post-cessation weight gain. Our aim was to identify factors that may be associated with the diagnosis of hypertension after quitting smoking. METHODS: In 2010, we conducted a cross-sectional survey in a sample of 2065 Czech adults, chosen by quota selection and representative according to age, gender, education, region of residence and the size of settlement, aged 18 to 94 years. We examined the association between age, gender, body mass index, smoking status, and education with the hypertension diagnosis in their personal history. Data were compiled and weighed by age categories. Statistical significance was measured by Pearson Chi-square test at the level of significance 95 %. RESULTS: Diagnosis of hypertension was reported in 461 (22 %) subjects, with no difference by gender. Based on univariate analysis, former smokers were more likely than non-smokers to be diagnosed for hypertension (OR 1.450 (1.110-1.900), p = 0.006). However, after adjusting for body mass index and age, the occurrence of hypertension diagnosis did not differ among non-smokers, smokers and former smokers (OR 0.760 for smokers, p = 0.082 and OR 1.020 for former smokers, p = 0.915). CONCLUSION: We did not find any differences in hypertension diagnosis prevalence according to smoking status.

3rd Medical Department Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism 1st Faculty of Medicine Charles University Prague and General University Hospital Prague U Nemocnice 1 121 08 Praha 2 Czech Republic

Centre for Tobacco Dependent of the 3rd Medical Department Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism 1st Faculty of Medicine Charles University Prague and General University Hospital Prague Karlovo namesti 32 121 08 Prague 2 Czech Republic

Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology 1st Faculty of Medicine Charles University and General University Hospital Prague Studnickova 7 128 00 Prague 2 Czech Republic

STEM MARK a s Chlumčanského 497 5 180 00 Praha 8 Czech Republic

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