A cross-sectional study of hypertensive adults in Tanzania found a 23.9% prevalence of sensorineural hearing loss, with smoking, prolonged hypertension duration, and ototoxic drug use identified as key risk factors.
A new study published in Eye & ENT Research adds to the body of evidence linking hypertension to sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), finding that nearly one in four hypertensive adults screened at a tertiary hospital in northern Tanzania met audiometric criteria for the condition.
Conducted between October 2023 and May 2024 at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC), the study enrolled 201 hypertensive adults who underwent structured interviews, otoscopic examination, and pure-tone audiometry in a soundproof room. The findings—published May 27, 2026—underscore the importance of routine hearing screening as part of broader chronic illness management, and they carry direct clinical implications for audiology and hearing healthcare professionals.
Prevalence and Patterns
The overall prevalence of SNHL among participants was 23.9%. The burden was starkly uneven across subgroups. Among those over age 50, 59.2% had SNHL, compared with just 12.5% of younger patients. Women were affected at more than twice the rate of men—31.3% versus 14.6%.
The most pronounced disparity related to duration of hypertension: 64.2% of patients who had lived with hypertension for five or more years had SNHL, versus only 3.7% of those with a shorter duration—a dose-dependent relationship the authors say suggests that earlier and more effective blood pressure control may help preserve hearing over time.
Bilateral involvement was the norm, accounting for 81.3% of SNHL cases, and most cases were mild in severity (70.8%).
Modifiable and Non-Modifiable Risk Factors
Multivariate analysis identified smoking as the strongest modifiable risk factor, with an odds ratio of 21.2. Additional risk factors confirmed by the analysis included prolonged hypertension duration, female sex, older age, alcohol use, and use of ototoxic medications—specifically loop diuretics furosemide and hydrochlorothiazide.
The authors note that the outsized role of smoking reinforces the clinical case for smoking cessation counseling as part of hypertensive care. On ototoxic medications, they advise that while these drugs have established clinical value, they should be prescribed with caution and that monitoring should be considered for long-term users.
The high rate of bilateral SNHL also carries a diagnostic implication: unilateral hearing complaints in hypertensive patients warrant careful evaluation beyond hypertension-related causes.
Context and Global Burden
The study addresses a data gap in East Africa, where systematic audiometric data on hypertensive populations have been scarce despite significant burden on both fronts. Globally, hypertension affects an estimated 1.39 billion people, with sub-Saharan Africa prevalence around 16.2%. At the same time, 1.5 billion people worldwide live with hearing loss, with approximately 9% of that population in Africa.
Researchers point to several biological mechanisms by which hypertension may contribute to SNHL, including increased blood viscosity reducing cochlear perfusion, ischemia-induced oxidative stress damaging hair cells, and impaired vascular repair capacity in the inner ear.
Limitations and Next Steps
As a cross-sectional, single-center study, the research cannot establish causality, and the authors acknowledge that generalizability is limited. They call for community-based surveys and prospective cohort studies to clarify the natural history of SNHL in hypertension and to identify effective prevention strategies.
The paper, titled “Magnitude, Patterns and Factors Associated With Sensorineural Hearing Loss Among Hypertensive Adults at a Tertiary Hospital in Northern Tanzania,” was published in Eye & ENT Research on May 27, 2026.
