Association between subclinical hypothyroidism and cardiovascular risk factors in adults attending general medicine clinics

Background: Subclinical hypothyroidism had been associated with several cardiovascular risk factors, including dyslipidemia, hypertension, obesity, and impaired glucose metabolism. Early identification of these risk factors had been considered important for reducing the long-term cardiovascular burden among affected adults. Aim: The study aimed to assess the association between subclinical hypothyroidism and cardiovascular risk factors among adults attending general medicine clinics at JPMC, Karachi. Methods: A cross-sectional study had been conducted at JPMC, Karachi, from January 2026 to June 2026. A total of 120 adults attending general medicine clinics had been enrolled. Participants had undergone thyroid function testing, including thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and free thyroxine (FT4), along with assessment of blood pressure, body mass index, fasting blood glucose, and lipid profile. Patients with elevated TSH and normal FT4 had been classified as having subclinical hypothyroidism. The collected data had been analyzed using SPSS version 26.0, and associations had been assessed using appropriate statistical tests. Results: Among the 120 participants, subclinical hypothyroidism had been identified in 28 (23.3%) patients. Participants with subclinical hypothyroidism had shown higher mean total cholesterol (218.6 ± 38.4 mg/dL) and LDL cholesterol (142.7 ± 31.6 mg/dL) compared with euthyroid participants (195.4 ± 34.7 mg/dL and 121.3 ± 28.9 mg/dL, respectively). Hypertension had been observed in 53.6% of patients with subclinical hypothyroidism compared with 32.6% of euthyroid participants. Obesity had been present in 50.0% and 34.8% of the respective groups. Significant associations had been observed between subclinical hypothyroidism and elevated LDL cholesterol (p=0.018), hypercholesterolemia (p=0.025), and hypertension (p=0.041). Conclusion: Subclinical hypothyroidism had been associated with several cardiovascular risk factors, particularly adverse lipid profiles and hypertension. Routine assessment of cardiovascular risk factors among adults with subclinical hypothyroidism had been potentially useful for early identification and management of individuals at increased cardiovascular risk.