Hypertension in Iranian Urban Population, Epidemiology, Awareness, Treatment and Control

BACKGROUND: To assess the epidemiological characteristics of hypertensive patients in urban population of Yazd, A central city in Iran. METHODS: This cross sectional study was conducted from 2005–2006 and carried out on population aging 20–74 years. It is a part of the phase I of Yazd healthy heart program that it is a community interventional study for prevention of cardiovascular disease. Data obtained from questionnaires were analyzed by SPSS version 13. P value less than 0.05 were considered significant level. RESULTS: This study comprised of 2000 participants that 847 (42.5%) were diagnosed as being hypertensive. After age adjustment, prevalence of hypertension was 25.6% (23.3% for women and 27.5% for men (P< 0.001). Age, Total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglyceride, fasting blood glucose, impaired glucose tolerance test, body mass index and waist were significantly higher in the hypertensive groups. 53.7% of hypertensive cases were aware of own condition, 45% were treated, and 33.9% of treated were controlled (30.7% and 35.4% in men and women respectively). In other word, 24% of all hypertensives (aware or unaware about own blood pressure condition) were treated and only 8% of them were controlled. Men significantly had less awareness (P< 0.001), lower tendency to take medication (P< 0.001), and less were controlled (P= 0.046). CONCLUSION: We understand high prevalence, low awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension and higher prevalence of other traditional metabolic risk factors in these cases. It seems that urgent preventional studies should be conducted in this population.