The effect of ambient temperature on blood pressure in a rural West African adult population: a cross-sectional study

INTRODUCTION: Associations between ambient temperature and blood pressure have been demonstrated in countries where the temperature varies between the seasons. This phenomenon has been overlooked in blood pressure surveys in sub-Saharan Africa. We assessed the effect of ambient temperature on blood pressure in an adult population in a West African country. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was carried out on a rural Ghanaian population, investigating the effect of ambient temperature on blood pressure in 574 randomly sampled adults aged between 18 and 65 years. RESULTS: There was a significant inverse relationship between ambient temperature and systolic (SBP) (p < 0.019) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (p < 0.036). SBP fell by 5 mmHg per 10ºC rise in ambient temperature. CONCLUSION: Higher ambient temperatures are associated with lower blood pressures. To enhance comparability of data from epidemiological surveys, ambient temperature should be recorded for each blood pressure reading and findings standardised to a fixed ambient temperature.