Prevalence of Hypertension and Associated Risk Factors in Suburban Tamil Nadu

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Background: Hypertension (HTN) is an important risk factor for cardiovascular mortality in India. HTN prevalence data are predominantly available for urban and rural populations in India but not in the mushrooming suburban areas. This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of HTN and associated risk factors in suburban Tamil Nadu. Methods: In this Kovai Medical Center Hospital Non-Communicable Disease Study, we enrolled adults >20 years of age residing at Thadagam (suburban) in Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu, India. All participants had a detailed questionnaire and anthropometric measurements. Blood samples were taken for glycosylated hemoglobin, nonfasting lipid profile, and serum creatinine. Prevalence of HTN (self-reported cases of HTN or systolic blood pressure ≥140 mm Hg and or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mm Hg) was estimated. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors influencing HTN. Results: A total of 1030 participants were involved in this study. The prevalence of HTN was 47.1% in this area, with similar prevalence in both genders. The ratio of known HTN to newly diagnosed HTN was 1:1.3. Nearly 5% of adults between 20 and 39 years had HTN in this cohort. On multivariate logistic regression, after adjustment for age and sex, HTN was significantly associated with diabetes and atherosclerosis. Conclusions: This study identified a high prevalence of HTN in suburban region of Tamil Nadu. Aggressive screening protocols and targeted treatment are the need of the hour to reduce the burden of HTN and cardiovascular diseases in suburban India.