High prevalence of arterial hypertension in a Brazilian Northeast population of low education and income level, and its association with obesity and metabolic syndrome
Revista Da Associação Médica Brasileira
High prevalence of arterial hypertension in a Brazilian Northeast population of low education and income level, and its association with obesity and metabolic syndrome
Autor Correspondente: Ruy Lyra | [email protected]
Palavras-chave: Hypertension, blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, metabolic syndrome X, epidemiology.
Resumos Cadastrados
Resumo Inglês:
Objective: The objectives of this study are to estimate the prevalence of arterial hypertension
(AH) in an adult population with a predominance of families with low education
and income levels, in the hinterlands of Pernambuco, Brazil, and to analyze its association
with other factors related to cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Methods: A cross-sectional
study in 2008/2009 was conducted with a sample of 198 subjects stratified by age,
and representative of the urban adult population of the Canaã district of city of Triunfo,
in the hinterlands of Pernambuco, Brazil. Results: One hundred ninety eight individuals
with average age of 57.7 years old (31 to 90 years-old), mainly women (65.6%), and
with low income and education levels (81.3% with a monthly income of less than one
minimum wage) were evaluated. Among these, 127 (64.1%) were identified as having
AH, 54 (42.5%) of whom had no prior diagnosis. From those who were previously diagnosed,
only 31.3% had good blood pressure control. Higher prevalence was observed in
those individuals with lower incomes, higher body mass indexes (BMI), and those with
metabolic syndrome (MS). Conclusion: These data demonstrated that there was a high
prevalence of AH in the urban, low education and income levels adult population of
Triunfo, strongly associated with lower income levels, elevated BMI, and the presence
of MS; and a high prevalence of bad blood pressure control among the previously diagnosed
cases. These results indicate that more effective interventions for early detection
and adequate control of this disease and its comorbidities are necessary.
