Abstract
Background: Hypertension is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. WHO has drawn attention to the fact that, Hypertension and related cardiovascular diseases are our modern epidemic. This contributes to high morbidity, cardiovascular disabilities and increasing mortality in the population. Such trends put an excessive burden on the quantum and quality of health care and necessitate more focus on more costly secondary and tertiary health care. Methods: A field based cross sectional descriptive study was conducted among rural population above 40 years. A pretested and structured questionnaire was used to record requisite information. A JNC VII criterion was used for blood pressure measurements. Data was analyzed with univariate and multivariate analysis. Results: Overall prevalence of hypertension among study participants observed was 5.92% (213 cases). Study participants having ‘Sedentary’ type of physical activity showed maximum number of cases (117 cases) than ‘Moderate’ or ‘Heavy’ physical activity group. Prevalence of hypertension was seen higher among upper class social-economic status population. Study participants consuming alcohol with varied frequency showed 158 cases out of total 213 cases while non-alcoholic participants (1995), had 55 cases of hypertension. Conclusions: The risk of hypertension increases with Advancing age positive family history and in male gender. Use of tobacco, alcohol consumption and resorting to non-vegetarian diet are the other contributory factors and the risk is more in the widowed persons as well as in those who are obese. Screening programmes with continuing health education for timely diagnosis and further treatment are to be stressed at policy formation.
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