 Corresponding author: Cyprian Emeka Oguji Department of Medical Laboratory Services, Kaiama Referral Hospital, KOLGA, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Copyright © 2022 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0. C-reactive protein levels among hypertensive patients attending University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Ituku-ozalla, Enugu State, Nigeria Kelvin Nkemakonam Orji 1 , Cyprian Emeka Oguji 2, * , Ujunwa Frances Onyeama 3 , Moses Ejiofor Agbo 4 , Favour Chizaram Sunday 5 , Victor Chisom Makata 6 , Chisimdindu Frances Nnaji 6 , Sharon Obianuju Eze 6 Onyinye Happiness Ike 7 and Innocent Nwabueze Okonkwo 3 1 Department of Medical Laboratory Services, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu State, Nigeria. 2 Department of Medical Laboratory Services, Kaiama Referral Hospital, KOLGA, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. 3 Department of Medical Laboratory Science, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus, Enugu State, Nigeria. 4 Department of Medical Laboratory Services, Wuse General Hospital, FCT, Wuse Zone 3 Abuja, Nigeria. 5 Department of Medical Services and Training, Ministry of Health, Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria. 6 Department of Medical Laboratory Services, Enugu State University Teaching hospital Parklane, Enugu State, Nigeria. 7 Department of Medical Laboratory Services, Cottage Hospital, Okoloba, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. GSC Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2022, 19(03), 083–092 Publication history: Received on 26 April 2022; revised on 31 May 2022; accepted on 02 June 2022 Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.30574/gscbps.2022.19.3.0210 Abstract The blood level of C-reactive protein (CRP) has been postulated to increase in hypertensive patients but has not been implicated as a risk factor for high blood pressure. This prompted this study to investigate the level of CRP of hypertensive patients at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla, and Enugu state. Eighty-nine subjects of which 50 were hypertensive patients (test subjects) and 39 apparently healthy individuals (control subjects) volunteered in the study. A structured questionnaire was used to capture the bio-data and other vital information from the participants of which virtually all the test subjects were on anti-hypertensive drugs. Anthropometric measurements were taken, blood samples were collected and CRP was analyzed using the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay method. Data were analyzed using the student's test and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). There was no significant statistical difference (P>0.05) in CRP levels (µg/ml) in all the comparisons; that is between all male and female study populations (401-478 and 3.61-4.24), between tests and controls (3.62-3.85 and 4.06-526), between male tests and male controls (3.76-3.55 and 4.24-5.80), between female tests and female control (3.62 ±3.85 and 3.76-3.55) between male tests and female tests (3.50-414 and 381-4.531, and between male controls and female controls (4.24 ±5.80 and 3.81-4.55). It was also observed that there was no relationship between the duration of hypertension with the CRP levels in the test subjects. These results suggest that the C-reactive protein levels may be increased in hypertensive patients but may be decreased by antihypertensive therapies. More studies are needed and these findings warrant further evaluation in randomized trials. A longitudinal study to fully assess the effect of antihypertensive drugs on the level of C-reactive protein in hypertensive patients may also be of great essence. Keywords: C - reactive protein; Hypertension; Blood Pressure; Antihypertensive Drugs; Hypertensive Patients 1. Introduction In general, cardiovascular diseases (CVD) have been shown to be responsible for 30% of worldwide mortality, and high blood pressure (HBP) alone contributes to 7.6 million premature deaths each year [1]. HBP represents one of the commonest chronic health problems and is an important modifiable risk for vascular events, and mortality in the world.