Blood pressure analysis in Guadeloupe Island according to the sixth reportof the Joint National Committee

OBJECTIVES: To study blood pressure distribution according to the new class ification criteria of the JNC VI. To study the other cardiovascular risk fa ctors related to blood pressure stage. METHOD: A cross sectional survey was undertaken in a medical center in Guad eloupe in 1999. The study included 1016 consecutive adult subjects. Blood p ressure measurements were done with an automated oscillometric method (dyna map). RESULTS: A total of 609 women and 407 men participated in the study. Hypert ension (systolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 140 mmHg and/or di astolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 90 mmHg or being on antihyp ertensive medication) was present in 326 subjects (32.1%). Hypertension was more frequently found in men than in women (p=0.008). Over the whole sampl e, 53.1% had optimal or normal blood pressure, 14.9% had high normal blood pressure, 16.1% were stage 1 hypertension and 15.9% were stage 2 or 3 hyper tension or were on antihypertensive medication. Prevalence of hypercholeste rolemia (total cholesterol greater than or equal to 240 mg/dl) increased si gnificantly with increasing blood pressure in men (p = 0.002) and women (p < 0.001). Prevalence of dyslipidemia (total cholesterolemia <greater than o r equal to> 240 mg/dl or HDL-cholesterol < 35mg/dl or currently receiving a ntihyperlipidemic therapy) increased significantly with increasing blood pr essure in both sex (p < 0.001). The same trend was found for prevalence of obesity (BMI (30 kg/m(2)) in both sex (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: In this population with a high prevalence of hypertension, we s howed that hypercholesterolemia and obesity increased significantly with in creasing blood pressure. We also showed that caring for high blood pressure should be part of a global caring of the patient looking for other cardiov ascular risk factors. (C) 2000, Masson, Paris.