Comparison of risk factors between prehypertension and hypertension in Korean male industrial workers

OBJECTIVES: To compare risk factors for prehypertension and hypertension in male industrial workers in Korea. SAMPLE: Participants included 2,476 males aged 19-56 years who were employed in an airplane manufacturing industry. METHODS: Health records of all subjects were analyzed during a biennial employee physical checkup that included a health survey questionnaire and blood tests. RESULTS: Forty-six percent of subjects had prehypertension and 15% had hypertension. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that, after adjustment for age, workplace, and risk variables, subjects who were currently alcohol drinkers, in blue collar jobs, body mass index (BMI) > or =25 kg/m(2), and had cholesterol > or =201 mg/dl were 1.30, 1.28, 1.27, and 1.21 times more likely to have prehypertension respectively, compared with normotensives. Subjects with FBS> or =121 mg/dl, BMI> or =25 kg/m(2), and age> or =40 years were 2.47, 1.52, and 1.36 times more likely to have hypertension respectively, compared with prehypertensive subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Nurses working in the industrial sector should focus on education and counseling regarding the risk factors for prehypertension and hypertension, and they should emphasize the importance of healthy lifestyles and curbing obesity to help arrest the progression of prehypertension to hypertension.