BackgroundHypertension is a significant chronic disease that has been linked with bone mineral density (BMD) in various studies. However, the conclusions are contradictory. The purpose of our study was to identify the bone mineral density (BMD) of postmenopausal females and males older than 50 years with hypertension.MethodsThis cross-sectional study of 4,306 participants from the 2005–2010 US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey explored the relationship between BMD and hypertension. Participants who had a mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≥140 mmHg, or a mean diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥90 mmHg, or were taking any prescribed medicine for high blood pressure were defined as having hypertension. BMD values were measured at the femoral neck and lumbar vertebrae as the primary outcome. Weight general linear model was used to describe the status of BMD in patients with hypertension. Weighted multivariate regression analysis was conducted to demonstrate the association between hypertension and BMD. Weighted restricted cubic spline (RCS) was used to assess the relationship between BMD and SBP and DBP.ResultsOur study found that there was a positive association between hypertension and lumbar BMD and the lumbar BMD was significantly higher in the presence of hypertension than in the control group in both males (1.072 vs. 1.047 g/cm2) and females (0.967 vs. 0.938 g/cm2; bothp< 0.05), but a similar pattern was not found in the femoral neck. Meanwhile, lumbar BMD was positively associated with SBP and negatively associated with DBP both in males and females. The prevalence of low bone mass and osteoporosis at the lumbar vertebrae was lower in male patients with hypertension than in the control group. However, no difference was observed among postmenopausal females between the hypertension and control groups.ConclusionsHypertension was associated with higher BMD at the lumbar vertebrae in both males older than 50 years and postmenopausal females.