Burden of undiagnosed hypertension and its associated factors: A challenge for primary health care in urban Colombia

BACKGROUND: Arterial hypertension is one of the most prevalent chronic, non-communicable diseases and the leading preventable risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality worldwide. Although its primary causes and consequences are preventable, it often remains undiagnosed. Consequently, this study aims to determine the prevalence and factors associated with normotensive, diagnosed, and undiagnosed hypertension in adults. METHODS: A cross-sectional, population-based study was conducted in Sabaneta, Colombia, between 2021 and 2022, with 286 adults aged 18 and older. Stratified and systematic random sampling methods were employed. The World Health Organization STEP survey and the Perez Rojas test were utilized to assess behavioral risk factors and sedentary lifestyles. Body mass index, waist circumference, and arterial tension were measured using standardized instruments. The prevalence of hypertension was then estimated. Risk factors influencing normotensive, diagnosed, and undiagnosed hypertension were analyzed using multinomial regression. The outcome variable comprised three categories: normotensive (reference category), diagnosed hypertension, and undiagnosed hypertension. The multinomial regression coefficients were exponentiated and are presented as relative risk ratios (RRR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). The model was adjusted for sex and sample weight per neighborhood. RESULTS: The study revealed a hypertension prevalence of 38.5% and an undiagnosed hypertension rate of 50.9%. Those with undiagnosed hypertension were predominantly adults over 60 years (RRR = 0.68; 95% CI: 0.53–0.86), individuals with an elementary school education (RRR = 1.75; 95% CI: 1.27–2.42), those physically active (RRR = 1.52; 95% CI: 1.22–1.89), without prior diagnoses of chronic comorbidities (RRR = 1.42; 95% CI: 1.12–1.82), and with obesity (RRR = 2.25; 95% CI: 1.63–3.11) or overweight conditions (RRR = 1.70; 95% CI: 1.334–2.15). CONCLUSIONS: Undiagnosed hypertension was significant among populations without risk conditions. There is an urgent need for community-based early detection and education strategies to mitigate this issue.