Long-term diuretic therapy in hypertensive patients: Effects on serum homocysteine, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and red blood cell folate concentrations

Background. The effects of chronic diuretic use on serum homocysteine and its metabolic cofactors vitamin B₆, vitamin B₁₂, and red blood cell (RBC) folate have not been well studied. Methods. Blood samples from 17 hypertensive patients receiving long-term diuretic therapy and 17 hypertensive patients not taking diuretics were analyzed for serum homocysteine, vitamin B₆, vitamin B₁₂, and RBC folate. Results. The mean serum homocysteine concentration for patients taking diuretics (17.87 ± 1.72 μmol/L) was significantly higher than the mean serum homocysteine concentration for patients not taking diuretics (10.31 ± 0.99 μmol/L). The mean RBC folate concentration for patients taking diuretics (281.01 ± 17.56 ng/mL) was significantly lower than the mean RBC folate concentration for patients not taking diuretics (430.85 ± 28.58 ng/mL). Serum vitamin B₆ and vitamin B₁₂ concentrations were not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusions. Chronic diuretic use is associated with a significant increase in serum homocysteine concentration, a significant decrease in RBC folate concentration, and no significant change in concentrations of vitamins B₆ and B₁₂.