PREVALENCE AND DETERMINANTS OF HYPERTENSION IN THE URBAN-POPULATION OF JAIPUR IN WESTERN INDIA

Objectives: To determine age-specific blood pressure levels and preval ence of hypertension in an urban Indian population. Design and setting : A cross-sectional survey in six randomly selected municipal blocks i n Jaipur city, India. Subjects and methods: There were 2122 subjects ( 1415 male, 797 female) aged 20 years or more. Evaluation was by physic . lan-administered questionnaire, physical examination and electrocard iography. Diagnosis of hypertension used World Health Organization (WH O) and USA Fifth Joint National Committee (INC-V) guidelines. Hyperten sion was subclassified according to the Framingham Study criteria. Res ults: The mean +/- SD blood pressures (mmHg) were 125 +/- 19 systolic and 81 +/- 24 diastolic in men and 126 +/- 20 systolic and 81 +/- 12 d iastolic in women. A significant correlation of blood pressure with in creasing age groups was seen. The prevalence of hypertension according to the JNC-V criteria was 30% in men and 33% in women; by WHO criteri a it was 11% in men and 12% in women and increased with age In all sub jects. In the JNC-V hypertensive group borderline isolated systolic hy pertension was present in 13% of men and 17% of women, definite isolat ed systolic hypertension was present in 7% of men and 2% of women, iso lated diastolic hypertension was present in 65% of men and 57% of wome n and definite hypertension was present in 16% of men and 24% of women . Multivariate analysis revealed that age, smoking and higher body mas s index were independently associated with higher prevalence of hypert ension both in men and In women. Conclusions: A high prevalence of JNC -V-defined hypertension was found in an Indian urban population. Isola ted diastolic hypertension was the commonest subtype. Significant dete rminants of hypertension were age, smoking and body mass index.