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Abstract: Systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) is considered a risk factor for epistaxis. In unselected studies, no association is seen. We performed a cross-sectional study with 121 patients. All of them were questioned about epistaxis and SAH. The blood pressure was the mean of six measurements. The prevalence of epistaxis was 23%. Epistaxis frequency in the group with more severe SAH and in those with mild SAH was not different (p=0,79). However, we observed a linear tendency between SAH duration and epistaxis prevalence (p=0,09). The use of acetylsalicilic acid (AAS) was associated with epistaxis (p=0,03). Sex, age, antihypertensives, fundoscopy, mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures had no association with epistaxis. In logistic regression model, the association between epistaxis and AAS and the tendeney for the effect of SAH duration remain significant. We concluded that the association between epistaxis and SAH level may be due to the high prevalence of AAS use in the group with more severe SAH and, maybe, due to the SAH duration.
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