Prevalence and Risk Factors of Hypertension in Adults in an Urban Slum, Tirupati, A.P.

• Main Authors: Reddy S (Author), Prabhu G (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications, 2005-01-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 0970-0218; 1998-3581
• Keywords: Hypertension; Mean Blood Pressure Levels; Risk Factors for Hyprtension; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270
• Source: Indian Journal of Community Medicine, Vol 30, Iss 3, Pp 84-86 (2005)

<b>Research question : </b> What is the prevalence of hypertension and its risk factors among adults aged 20-60 years residing years residing in an urban slum area of Tirupati town, A.P.? <b> Objective : </b> To study the prevalence of hypertension and its risk factors as well as its extent of diagnosis and management among adults aged 20-60 years residing in an urban slum area of Tirupati. <b> Study design : </b> Cross sectional. <b> Study setting : </b> Channa Reddy Colony (Urban slum area) in Tirupati town, A.P. <b> Study subjects : </b> 1000 adults in the age group of 20-60 years (Males-500; Females-500) residing in an urban slum area of Tirupati town, A.P. <b> Study variables : </b> Age, sex, occupation, family history of hypertension, history of cerebrovascular/cardiovascular events, diabetes mellitus, saturated fat intake, intake of excess salt, smoking, alcohol intake and regular physical exercise. <b> Outcome Variables : </b> Number of hypertensives and mean blood pressure level estimations. <b> Statistical analysis : </b> Proportions, Chi--square tests, &#x2032;F&#x2032; ratios, &#x2032;t&#x2032; tests, Odds ratios and 95&#x0025; confidence intervals. <b> Results : </b> The overall prevalence of hypertension was found to be 8.6&#x0025;. Out of the 86 hypertensives, 72 (83.7&#x0025;) were aware of their hypertension; all of those aware were under treatment; among the treated, only 30 (41.7&#x0025;) had satisfactory control of their hypertension. Higher prevalence of hypertension was found with history of cerbrovascular/cardiovascular events (50.0&#x0025;), diabetes mellitus (33.3&#x0025;), family history of hypertension (23.3&#x0025;), smoking (22.4&#x0025;), age more than 50 years (22.2&#x0025;), alcohol intake (20.0&#x0025;), lack of physical exercise (15.8&#x0025;), B.M.I.>25 (14.9&#x0025;), male sex (9.6), non-vegetarian diet (8.8&#x0025;) and saturated fat intake (8.8&#x0025;). The mean systolic as well as diastolic blood pressures were found to be higher among men, higher age groups, and in business occupation of the respondents. <b> Conclusions : </b> Despite treatment, most of the hypertensives had not achieved satisfactory control of blood pressure. Health education of the public is needed to control the various risk factors of hypertension.