Incidence of Hypertension in a Cohort of Spanish University Graduates: The SUN Study

Abstract

Hypertension is a major public health problem. However, no estimates of age- and sex-specific incidences are available for the Spanish population. Our objective was to estimate the incidence of hypertension in a cohort of university graduates in Spain. We followed up 5648 individuals aged 25-65 years who were initially free of hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease for a median of 30 months. New diagnoses of hypertension were identified using mailed questionnaires. We verified all self-reported diagnoses of hypertension. In 18 250 person-years of follow-up, we identified 248 new cases of hypertension. The unadjusted incidences of hypertension in women and men were 8.2 per 1000 person-years (95% CI, 6.7-10.1) and 21.8 per 1000 person-years (95% CI, 18.6-25.4), respectively. The cumulative probability of receiving a medical diagnosis of hypertension by the age of 65 years was 50% among women and 72% among men. In conclusion, we have provided new evidence confirming that hypertension is one of the most important public health problems in Spain.