Prevalence of hypertension in Guinean rural areas

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and awareness of HTA in Guinean rural populations with respect to age and gender. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional survey in rural Guinea: K?pèrè-D?fili (400 inhabitants) and T?b?l?n (900 inhabitants). PARTICIPANTS: 188 subjects (81 in K?pèrè-D?fili and 107 in T?b?l?n), 15 years and older were visited in their homes between November 2000 and April 2001. METHODS: The blood pressures were measured with an electronic tensiometer "Philips HF305". Awareness of HTA and risk factors were determined by interviews. HTA was defined as mean SBP/DBP = 140/90 mmHg. RESULTS: Overall, 69% (56/81) in K?pèrè-D?fili and 27% (29/107) in T?b?l?n were hypertensive. Among these, only 2 (K?pèrè) and 6 patients (T?b?l?n) were aware of their condition. HTA was strongly gender dependent in K?pèrè where 98% (44/45) of the males were concerned. In K?pèrè-D?fili, the combined systolo-diastolic hypertension (SDH) was predominant (80%; 45/56) and was associated to the male gender (80%; 36/45). In the hypertensive population of T?b?l?n, the isolated PAD (DH) was mainly associated with the female group (47%, 8/17). The grade III HTA (PAS/PAD > or = 180/110 mmHg) concerned both gender (41%, 18/44 for males; 42%, 5/12 for females) in K?pèrè-D?fili and mainly the female group in T?b?l?n (29%, 5/17). Smoking was the most frequently associated risk factor in the studied population of K?pèrè-D?fili (70%) and T?b?l?n (45%). The smokers were predominantly female in K?pèrè-D?fili (89%, 32/36) or male in T?b?l?n (51%, 24/47). Among the smokers, the hypertensive individuals were 96% (24/25) of the males and 38% (12/32) of the females in K?pèrè, 29% (7/24) of the males and 38% (9/24) of the females in T?b?l?n. CONCLUSION: Hypertension is highly prevalent in two Guinean rural localities where less than 5% of the studied population were aware of their conditions, suggesting the nationwide demand for preventing and controlling HTA in Guinea.