ABSTRACT
Hypertension due to its high prevalence and its relation to cardiac disease is considered a major problem in industrialized countries; its prevalence varies in different countries and in various regions within a country. The purpose of the present study is to determine the size of the problem and its distribution in a study population being educated using community-based medicine in Kermanshah in 2005. For the study, 8495 persons [1957 families] were randomly selected as the subjects; they were medically examined by a team including two general practitioners and a health worker, and were evaluated for blood pressure, height and weight, history of high blood pressure and taking of anti-hypertension drugs; the 5147 subjects were aged over 15-years. Each subject's blood pressure were recorded once in sitting position using a sphygmomanometer. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics [frequency percentage, mean, standard deviation] and inferential statistics [T-test and Chi Square]. The 5147 participants [56.9% females and 43.1% males] had an average age of 34.4 +/- 15.1 years. A prevalence of stage 1 and 2 hypertension 14.3% [14.1% in males and 13.7% in females] and prehypertension prevalence of 15.8% was reported. The prevalence of high blood pressure was 60.7% among 65-year-olds. The average systolic pressure and diastolic pressure were reported to be 117.5 +/- 18.3 and 74.5 +/- 13.6 respectively. The average systolic and diastolic pressure in males were significantly different from that of females [P=0.0001]. There was a significant relation between age increase and prevalence of high blood pressure. Also, an increase in BMI showed a significant increase in blood pressure. A high prevalence of elevated blood pressure was documented in this population of Kermanshah; obesity and old age were observed to be the interventional risk factors accompanying high blood pressure