Hypertension Prevalence,Awareness, Treatment,and Control: Should 24‐Hour Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring be the Tool of Choice?

We aimed to examine hypertension prevalence, awareness, treatment and control in a community sample and investigate the impact of using 24 hour ABPM. Office blood pressure (BP) was taken from the electronic health record. Study BP was measured by standardised methods. Participants were invited to undergo ABPM. Hypertension was defined by accepted thresholds or anti‐hypertensive use. Standardised questions assessed awareness and treatment. Control was defined as anti‐hypertensive use with BP below normal threshold. There were 931 (45%) participants with office BP, study BP and ABPM. By study BP, hypertension prevalence was 60%, awareness 59%, 60% were treated and 46% controlled. By daytime ABPM threshold, prevalence was 61%, awareness 59%, 59% were treated and 54% controlled. ABPM reclassified 13.5% from normotensive to hypertensive and 14.5% from hypertensive to normotensive. ABPM may not hugely impact population hypertension prevalence but at an individual level it reduces misclassification and facilitates more appropriate management.     

Awareness,Treatment and Control of Hypertension Among Filipino Immigrants

BACKGROUND

Filipino Americans have high rates of hypertension, yet little research has examined hypertension awareness, treatment, and control in this group.

OBJECTIVE

In a community-based sample of hypertensive Filipino American immigrants, we identify 1) rates of hypertension awareness, treatment, and control; and 2) factors associated with awareness, treatment, and control.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional analysis of survey data from health screenings collected from 2006 to 2010.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 566 hypertensive Filipino immigrants in New York City, New York and Jersey City, New Jersey.

MAIN MEASURES

Hypertension awareness, treatment, and control. Participants were included in analysis if they were hypertensive, based on: a past physician diagnosis, antihypertensive medication use, and/or high blood pressure (BP) screening measurements. Demographic variables included sex, age, time in the United States, location of residence, and English spoken language fluency. Health-related variables included self-reported health, insurance status, diabetes diagnosis, high cholesterol diagnosis, clinical measures (body mass index [BMI], glucose, and cholesterol), exercise frequency, smoking status, cardiac event history, family history of cardiac event, and family history of hypertension.

RESULTS

Among the hypertensive individuals, awareness, treatment, and control rates were suboptimal; 72.1 % were aware of their status, 56.5 % were on medication, and only 21.7 % had controlled BP. Factors related to awareness included older age, worse self-reported health, family history of hypertension, and a diagnosis of high cholesterol or diabetes; factors related to treatment included older age, longer time lived in the United States, and being a non-smoker; having health insurance was found to be the main predictor of hypertension control. Many individuals had other cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors; 60.4 % had a BMI ≥25, 12.0 % had at-risk glucose measurements and 12.8 % had cholesterol ≥ 240.

CONCLUSIONS

Hypertensive Filipinos exhibit poor hypertension management, warranting increased efforts to improve awareness, treatment and control. Culturally tailored public health strategies must be prioritized to reduce CVD risk factors among at-risk minority populations.     

Prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension in Vietnam-results from a national survey

The objective of this study was to estimate mean blood pressure (BP), prevalence of hypertension (defined as BP ≥140/90?mm?Hg) and its awareness, treatment and control in the Vietnamese adult population. This cross-sectional survey took place in eight Vietnamese provinces and cities. Multi-stage stratified sampling was used to select 9832 participants from the general population aged 25 years and over. Trained observers obtained two or three BP measurements from each person, using an automatic sphygmomanometer. Information on socio-geographical factors and anti-hypertensive medications was obtained using a standard questionnaire. The overall prevalence of hypertension was 25.1%, 28.3% in men and 23.1% in women. Among hypertensives, 48.4% were aware of their elevated BP, 29.6% had treatment and 10.7% achieved targeted BP control (<140/90?mm?Hg). Among hypertensive aware, 61.1% had treatment, and among hypertensive treated, 36.3% had well control. Hypertension increased with age in both men and women. The hypertension was significantly higher in urban than in rural areas (32.7 vs 17.3%, P<0.001). Hypertension is a major and increasing public health problem in Vietnam. Prevalence among adults is high, whereas the proportions of hypertensives aware, treated and controlled were unacceptably low. These results imply an urgent need to develop national strategies to improve prevention and control of hypertension in Vietnam.     

Trends in Prevalence,Awareness, Treatment,and Control of Blood Pressure Recorded From 2004 to 2014 During World Hypertension Day in Italy

Estimates of blood pressure (BP) control in real life are not systematically collected in Italy. We evaluated trends in systolic/diastolic BP levels, as well as prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control rates of hypertension among adult individuals visiting open checkpoints during the 2004 to 2014 annual editions of World Hypertension Day. Hypertension was defined as BP level ≥140/90 mm Hg or use of antihypertensive medication, whereas BP control was defined as BP level <140/90 mm Hg. We included 10,051 individuals (53.2% female, age 56.2±16.8 years, body mass index 25.7±7.6 kg/m², systolic/diastolic BP 131.9±18.6/79.1±10.5 mm Hg). Hypertension prevalence and treatment were substantially unchanged, whereas awareness appears to increase over time. Controlled hypertension in diagnosed treated patients increased from 50.0% in 2004–2010 to 55.5% in 2011–2012 towards 57.6% in 2013–2014. This analysis provides real‐life snapshots of hypertension over the years in the occasion of World Hypertension Day, showing increased awareness and improved control rates among treated hypertensive patients attending open checkpoints during 2004 to 2014 in Italy.     

Prevalence,Awareness, Treatment,and Control of Hypertension among Adult Residents of Tehran: The Tehran Cohort Study

Background:High levels of blood pressure (BP) remain undetected and poorly controlled in large segments of the population leading to an enormous burden in terms of disease and mortality.Objective:We aimed to assess the prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension in Tehran.Methods:We used the data of 8,296 adults aged ≥35 years from the Tehran Cohort Study who were enrolled between May 2016 and February 2019. Hypertension was defined as systolic BP ≥140 mmHg and/or diastolic BP ≥90 mmHg, self-report, and/or current antihypertensive medication use. The age- and sex-weighted prevalence of hypertension and high normal BP was calculated using the 2016 national census. Furthermore, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension were analyzed.Results:The mean age of the participants was 53.8 ±12.75 years, and 54.0% were women. The weighted prevalence of hypertension and high normal BP were 36.5% and 12.2%, respectively. Among hypertensive individuals, 68.2% were aware of hypertension, 53.3% were receiving medication, and 40.4% had adequate BP control. The awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension were significantly higher in women (72.2% vs. 63.4% [P < 0.001], 55.1% vs 51.1% [P = 0.020], and 42.7% vs. 37.7% [P = 0.004], respectively) and this gap considerably increased with advancing age. Hypertension was more prevalent in northern Tehran but with a better treatment rate and control in the same regions.Conclusion:Despite the high prevalence of hypertension in the adult population of Tehran, the rates of awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension are unsatisfactory and demand comprehensive strategies to improve this situation, especially in younger men.     

Asian management of hypertension: Current status,home blood pressure,and specific concerns in Taiwan

Approximately 25% of the population in Taiwan has hypertension, and the rate has increased over time. Although age‐standardized cardiovascular mortality has decreased over the last 25 years, the annual stroke incidence has increased, and national health insurance reimbursement for cardiovascular disease (CVD) has grown by 22% over the last 10 years. Automatic oscillometric sphygmomanometer devices are increasingly available and affordable in Taiwan, making this the main method of out‐of‐office blood pressure (BP) measurement. Furthermore, home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM), along with shared informed decision making, could be beneficial in driving changes in health behavior and hypertension management. The 2015 Guidelines of the Taiwan Society of Cardiology and the Taiwan Hypertension Society for the Management of Hypertension recognize that home BP is a stronger predictor of CVD than office BP. Therefore, HBPM is recommended and implementation instructions provided. However, a home BP target that corresponds to the office BP used in the majority of clinical studies has yet to be clearly defined. Care for hypertension in Taiwan takes place more often in the hospital versus primary care setting. Combination therapy, often fixed drug combinations, is needed in 60% of patients to achieve BP control. Calcium channel blockers are the most commonly prescribed agents, followed by angiotensin receptor blockers. Overall, there is still substantial room for improvement in the awareness, treatment, and control rate of hypertension in Taiwan. HBPM has a central diagnostic and prognostic role in the management of hypertension.     

The epidemiology of elevated blood pressure as an estimate for hypertension in Aydin, Turkey.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is an important public health problem, with some variability of its epidemiological properties in different populations. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of hypertension and to determine the hypertension awareness, treatment and control rates in Aydin, a Turkish province. METHODS: Of 1600 coincidentally selected people aged over 18 years in Aydin, 1480 (92.5%) had their blood pressure (BP) measured and answered a standard questionnaire in 1995. RESULTS: Estimates of the prevalence of hypertension and its control were computed using two different criteria to define hypertension: BP > or =140/90 mm Hg or on treatment and BP > or =160/95 mm Hg or on treatment. Overall, the estimated prevalence of hypertension was 29.6% (for BP > or =140/90 mm Hg or on treatment). Hypertension prevalence increased progressively with age, from 9% in 18- to 29-year-olds to 70.6% in those 70-79 years of age. Women had a significantly higher prevalence than men (34.1% vs 26.0% respectively). Overall, 57.9% of hypertensive individuals were aware that they had high BP, and 82.1% of aware hypertensives were being treated with antihypertensive medications, but only 19.8% of treated hypertensives were under control (systolic pressure <140 mm Hg and diastolic pressure <90 mm Hg). In addition, housewives, unemployed, and the less educated individuals had greater mean systolic and diastolic BP. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that hypertension is highly prevalent in Aydin, Turkey, and the detection and control of hypertension is unsatisfactory.     

Prevalence, awareness, treatment, and risk factors associated with hypertension in the Iranian population: the national survey of risk factors for noncommunicable diseases of Iran

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of hypertension in the Middle East is not well defined. We examined the prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension in Iran. METHODS: The Survey of Risk Factors of Noncommunicable Diseases was conducted in 2005 and contains a representative sample of the Iranian adult population. Of 70,981 participants, the data of 68,250 adults aged 25-64 years who had two valid blood pressure (BP) readings were analyzed to estimate the total prevalence of hypertension (systolic BP >or= 140 mm Hg, diastolic BP >or= 90 mm Hg, or the concurrent use of antihypertensive agents) in the Iranian adult population. RESULTS: Approximately 25% or 6.6 million Iranians aged 25-64 years had hypertension; additionally 46% or 12 million Iranians aged 25-64 years had prehypertension. Among hypertensive patients, 34% were aware of their elevated BP; 25% were taking antihypertensive medications; and of these treated subjects, only 24% had BP values <140/90 mm Hg. Hypertension and prehypertension were associated with age, male gender, obesity, central obesity, hypercholesterolemia, and diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of hypertension and prehypertension is high, and the rates of awareness, treatment, and control are unacceptably low. These results underscore the urgent need to develop national strategies to improve prevention, detection, and treatment of hypertension in Iran.     

Untreated,Uncontrolled, and Apparent Resistant Hypertension: Results of the German Health Examination Survey 2008–2011

The prevalence and associated factors of untreated, uncontrolled, and apparent‐resistant hypertension (RH) in Germany are unknown. Based on European Society of Hypertension criteria, apparent RH was defined as blood pressure (BP) ≥140/90 mm Hg (≥140/85 mm Hg in diabetics) under treatment with three different classes of antihypertensive agents including a diuretic. Data from the German Health Examination Survey (2008–2011; n=7115, age 18–79 years) including standardized BP measurements and Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical–coded taken medications were analyzed. Among patients aware of their hypertensive status (n=2205), 37.9% were uncontrolled and, among those, 33.4% were untreated. Being aware and having untreated and uncontrolled BP was associated with male sex, young age, not having cardiovascular disease, not performing BP self‐measurement, not being obese, and not smoking. Apparent RH occurred in 6.8% of treated aware hypertensive patients and was positively associated with having diabetes. The proportion of uncontrolled BP is still high. Not having “obvious risk factors” has become a risk itself for having untreated and uncontrolled hypertension.     

Characteristics of inner-city African-Americans with uncontrolled hypertension

Hypertension control rates are low in inner-city African-Americans. This article describes the demographic and clinical characteristics of uncontrolled hypertension in this population. During a single outpatient visit, normotensive and hypertensive African-American volunteers (age 18 to 55) completed a questionnaire, and the following measurements were obtained: blood pressure (BP), anthropometric measures, and blood chemistries. Volunteers received a gift for participating. Of the 3,943 volunteers, 52% were hypertensive. Among the hypertensives, 75% were aware of hypertension, and of those aware, 76% were on antihypertensive drug therapy. BP was uncontrolled in 78% of all hypertensives and in 60% of those on drug therapy. Males were two times more likely than females to have uncontrolled hypertension. Compared to participants with controlled hypertension, those with uncontrolled hypertension were younger, had lower body mass index, and were more likely to report smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, and less likely to report restricting dietary salt. Lack of hypertension control was primarily related to the lack of antihypertensive drug therapy rather than to inadequate drug therapy. Uncontrolled hypertension was associated with several self-reported aversive health behaviors, including not taking antihypertensive medications. Strategies to improve hypertension control should be directed to patients and to health care providers.     

Prevalence and therapeutic control of hypertension in 30,000 subjects in the workplace

-To assess blood pressure (BP) control in a French working population through the use of a careful assessment of BP based on 2 different visits in 1 month, 17 359 men and 12 267 women were evaluated from January 1997 to April 1998. The initial phase was a cross-sectional analysis of a cohort study designed to assess the incidence of arterial hypertension in a French working population. Information was collected by the work-site physician during the annual examination. BP was measured with a validated automatic device. Among subjects with BP >/= mm Hg, patients not treated with antihypertensive drugs were invited to have an additional BP measurement taken 1 month later. The prevalence of hypertension (BP >/= mm Hg) based on 2 visits was 16.2% in men and 9.4% in women. When the diagnosis of hypertension was based on 2 visits, its prevalence was 41% lower in men and 36% lower in women compared with that of a diagnosis based on a single visit. Accordingly, the awareness of hypertension was 49% higher in men and 40% higher in women. Overall, 12.5% of hypertensive men and 33.2% of hypertensive women taking antihypertensive medication had their BP levels lowered to < mm Hg by treatment. Although the percentage of hypertensive men and women under current treatment who were aware of their hypertension increased with age, BP control among treated subjects decreased with age. Ineffective BP control with treatment accounted for 33% of BP levels >/= mm Hg in men and 40% of those observed in women. In this large French working population, estimates of hypertension therapeutic control depend heavily on the number of BP measurements. Despite these methodological precautions, insufficient awareness of BP and insufficient BP control through treatment remain 2 major public health problems.     

Patterns of hypertension management in France in 2015: The ESTEBAN survey

The purposes of this study were to describe the hypertensive population and therapeutic management of hypertension in adults between 18 and 74 years of age in France in 2015.
Esteban survey is a cross‐sectional survey with a clinical examination conducted in a representative sample of French adults aged 18‐74 years between 2014 and 2016. Esteban was entirely public‐funded. Blood pressure (BP) was measured during clinical examination with a standardized protocol, and pharmacological treatment was collected through the exhaustive Système National des Données de Santé (SNDS) database. Hypertension was defined by systolic BP (SBP)> 140 mm Hg, diastolic BP (DBP)> 90 mm Hg or treatment with BP‐lowering drugs. The therapeutic control of treated hypertensive patients was defined by SBP < 140 mm Hg and DBP < 90 mm Hg.
Adherence to drug treatment was defined as more than 80% of days covered by BP‐lowering drug per year. The prevalence of hypertension was 31.3%. 74.7% of aware hypertensive participants taking an antihypertensive drug, and 57.7% of them were treated with a single antihypertensive pharmacological class. Overall, among hypertensives, 24.3% had a satisfactory BP control. Only 49.7% of treated hypertensives participants were controlled, and 33.6% of them were adherent to their drug treatment. The prevalence of hypertension in France remains high, with only 74.7% of the aware hypertensive participants receiving pharmacological therapy and only 48.9% of aware hypertensives with a BP at goal. More effective measures are needed to improve clinical management of hypertension in France.     

Effect of Expectation of Care on Adherence to Antihypertensive Medications Among Hypertensive Blacks: Analysis of the Counseling African Americans to Control Hypertension (CAATCH) Trial

Novel ideas are needed to increase adherence to antihypertensive medication. The current study used data from the Counseling African Americans to Control Hypertension (CAATCH) study, a sample of 442 hypertensive African Americans, to investigate the mediating effects of expectation of hypertension care, social support, hypertension knowledge, and medication adherence, adjusting for age, sex, number of medications, diabetes, education, income, employment, insurance status, and intervention. Sixty‐six percent of patients had an income of $20,000 or less and 56% had a high school education or less, with a mean age of 57 years. Greater expectation of care was associated with greater medication adherence (P=.007), and greater social support was also associated with greater medication adherence (P=.046). Analysis also showed that expectation of care mediated the relationship between hypertension knowledge and medication adherence (P<.05). Expectation of care and social support are important factors for developing interventions to increase medication adherence among blacks.     

High prevalence and poor control of hypertension in primary care: cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE: To report: (1) on the background, design and methods of the Hypertension and Diabetes Risk Screening and Awareness (HYDRA) study, (2) on the point prevalence of hypertension in primary care and (3) on the proportion of treated, controlled, and uncontrolled hypertension. DESIGN: Cross-sectional point prevalence study. SETTING: Representative nationwide sample of 1912 primary care practices in Germany. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 45,125 unselected primary care attendees. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of hypertension based on doctor's diagnosis, self-reported diagnosis, and blood pressure (BP) measurements. RESULTS: A total of 39% of all patients and 67% of patients aged 60 years or older, respectively, were diagnosed by their doctors as having hypertension. Eighty-four percent of diagnosed patients were on antihypertensive medication, 57% of which were rated by the physician as well controlled. When hypertension was defined as either current BP levels > or = 140/90 mmHg and/or current antihypertensive medication, the total point prevalence increased to 50%, while treatment and control rates (BP < 140/90 mmHg) dropped to 64 and 19%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Extrapolation of these findings to the entire primary care patient population seen in the over 20 000 primary care practices in Germany suggests that on an average day, over 700,000 patients with elevated BP are seen by primary care physicians, but that only around 132,000 of these patients are well controlled. Thus, this study not only documents the enormous burden of hypertensive patients in the primary health system, but also highlights the alarming lack of BP control in the vast majority of hypertensive patients.     

Awareness, treatment and control of hypertension in Denmark. The Inter99 study

Objective. We describe the current status of awareness, treatment and control of hypertension in Denmark and identify predictors for not being optimally treated. Methods. A population-based sample, the Inter99 study, of 6784 individuals aged 30-60 years completed a questionnaire about lifestyle and risk factors for cardiovascular disease and had a physical examination including at least two blood pressure (BP) measurements. Hypertension was defined as BP≥140/90 mmHg or receiving medical treatment for hypertension. Predictors for awareness, treatment and control were analysed in logistic regression models. Results. Nearly 40% were diagnosed with hypertension and more than 60% were not aware of the diagnosis. Half of those aware of the diagnosis did not receive medical treatment and among those who did, only 21% had their hypertension controlled. Only 10% of all persons aware of their hypertension had a BP below 140/90 mmHg. A higher degree of awareness and treatment of hypertension was positively associated with female sex, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, age, contact to general practitioner, healthy diet and increasing body mass index and age. We did not identify predictors for control of hypertension. Conclusion. There is a major gap between how hypertensive patients are managed in Denmark and the current treatment goals and recommendations of hypertension.     

Prevalence,awareness, and control of arterial hypertension in Denmark

Hypertension is an important modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Risk is reduced by reduction of blood pressure (BP). The present survey estimated the prevalence of hypertension, awareness, treatment, and BP control in Denmark. BP was measured three times on one occasion in a representative sample (n = 7,767) of the Danish population ages 20 to 89 years. Persons with screening BP ≥140/90 mm Hg also measured BP at home. Participants with home BP ≥135/85 mm Hg in general and ≥125/75 mm Hg for patients with diabetes or renal disease were categorized as hypertensive together with those already on antihypertensive treatment. Awareness was registered by questionnaire. Treated patients with BP below relevant limits were categorized as controlled. Age-adjusted prevalence of hypertension was on the basis of screening BP 25.7% and by home BP 22.3%. Seventy-two percent of patients found hypertensive by home BP were aware of it, 64% were treated, and 57% of those treated were controlled by office BP and 68% by home BP. One-fifth of the adult Danish population was found to be hypertensive, Awareness and control of hypertension was better than in most previous reports. Control rates similar to those of clinical trials are achievable in clinical practice.     

Predictors of Uncontrolled Blood Pressure in Treated Hypertensive Individuals: First Population‐Based Study in Lebanon

Arterial hypertension is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease and stroke. This study aimed to assess the predictors of uncontrolled systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) in Lebanon among treated hypertensive individuals. The authors included 562 participants 40 years and older. The potential predictors included sociodemographic characteristics, self‐reported health information, and medication adherence. Prevalence of uncontrolled systolic and diastolic BP reached 43.1% and 24.9%, respectively. Independent predictors of uncontrolled systolic BP were older age, male sex, and low and medium medication adherence level. Predictors of uncontrolled diastolic BP were younger age, obesity, and low medication adherence level. Married individuals and patients taking statins had better diastolic BP control. Uncontrolled BP is a major public health problem in Lebanon. The authors identified low adherence as a major modifiable risk factor for systolic and diastolic BP control and obesity as a major modifiable risk factor for diastolic BP control.     

医院门诊人群高血压的患病、知晓、治疗及控制状况1999年医院门诊人群高血压抽样调查报告

目的 了解门诊人群：1)高血压的患病比例、知晓、治疗及控制情况，2)影响高血压的知晓、治疗及控制率的重要因素。方法 横断面性质的流行病学研究。采用国际通用的现场测量与问卷调查相结合的标准方法，分别在中国北方、南方和中部8个城市，选择18家医院(其中三级医院10家，二级医院6家，一级医院2家)，对来这些医院内科、妇科和其它科门诊就诊的35岁及以上患者进行了专项调查。结果 本次共调查9703人，一级医院、二级医院、三级医院分别入选1216例(12．5％)，2324例(24．0％)及6163例(63．5％)，性别、年龄比例基本平衡。被调查人群患高血压的比例达46．5％，无论男女，均随年龄递增。本次调查人群近一年内就诊时经常测血压的比例仅15．9％。调查人群中高血压患者知道自己患高血压的比例为77．2％，在过去一年内已接受降压治疗的占70％，治疗后血压降至正常的占33％，全部高血压患者中血压得到控制的占23％。有高血压相关知识的高血压患者与无高血压相关知识者比较，高血压知晓率分别为82％和60％，药物治疗率分别为71％和27％，接受治疗的高血压患者中血压控制率分别为32％和19％，高血压人群中血压控制率分别为23％和8％，前者高血压知晓率、治疗率和控制率均显著高于后者(P＜0．01)。未能规律服药原因主要系患者对高血压缺乏正确理解，不重视治疗是服药顺从性差的根源。结论 1)35岁以上人群高血压发病比例较高，规律的血压检测率低，有必要建立35岁以上人群就诊首诊测量血压制度。2）中青年对高血压最不重视，知晓率、治疗率及控制率均低，应予以高度重视。3)高血压相关知识的掌握是影响高血压知晓率、治疗率、控制率的重要因素，对高血压缺乏正确理解，不重视治疗是服药顺从性差的根源。应重点加强这一人群的健康教育。     

Gender disparities in the awareness and control of hypertension

Hypertension is an important risk factor for the commonest cause of death among men, namely, cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of this study was to provide data concerning gender difference in the awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension in adults. We conducted a cross-sectional study in Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia. Subjects were asked if they had been told by a physician that they had hypertension or were on blood pressure (BP) medication. Blood pressure was measured using standardized Joint National Committee (JNC) protocol. The study sample consisted of 814 adults who were at least 18 years old. Of the estimated 27.6% people with hypertension, 38.6% were unaware of their hypertension, 29.8% were aware of their condition but were not being treated, and among those who had been treated 40.8% remained uncontrolled. Independent predictors of a lack of awareness of hypertension were an age of at least 45 years, male gender, and BMI greater than 30. The extent of awareness and control of hypertension did not differ significantly by monthly income, educational level, physical activities, or smoking status. Awareness and control of hypertension is low in men, making them public health priorities. Achieving more stringent BP control will require increased attention by physicians and public education to improve the awareness and control of hypertension.     

Awareness,attitude, and distribution of high blood pressure among health professionals

BackgroundBP control is suboptimal Worldwide. Little is known about attitudes of health professionals toward their BP status.AimTo estimate awareness, attitudes, and distribution of blood pressure among health professionals.Study designProspective cross-sectional survey.MethodsStudy was conducted among health professionals in two tertiary hospitals in Riyadh, KSA during December 2010. Socio-demographics, risk factors for high BP, awareness, and adherence to treatment were recorded.ResultsSix hundred and seventy-two subjects, 66.6% females, mean age 36.2 + 13.9 years. Prevalence of Hypertension (HTN) was 28%. 114 (60.6%) patients had self reported HTN in HTN group while 74 (11%) of total study population, were not aware that they have HTN which was detected on screening. Stress and lack of formal exercise were prevalent risk factors for HTN, present in 44.1% and 36.1%, of patients, respectively, while obesity was present in 19.4%. Many participants were not aware of recently recommended target value of blood pressure. 22.3% patients were irregular for their follow-up. 12.2% patients were not adherent to the treatment. Isolated systolic hypertension was more common in men. A point of serious concern was that relatively young health professionals, who were not known to be hypertensive did not monitor their BP, found to have HTN.ConclusionSuboptimal awareness and lack of adherence to the treatment for BP among health professionals is of serious concern, for increased chances of cardiovascular events. Physical exercise, correction of obesity and compliance with treatment may reduce the risk of HTN-related adverse outcome in this special subset of the population.