RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present cross-sectional study was to determine the relevance of several risk factors for hypertension in a Thai population. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The authors used multiple linear regression to identify factors that influenced systolic blood pressure(SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) in a study of 1,398 patients. RESULTS: Hypertensive risk factors were similar among men and women. Increased age, body mass index (BMI), and low educational attainment, were statistically significant risk factors for hypertension in men. For example, overweight men (BMI = 25.0-29.9 kg/m2) were 1.88 times more likely to be hypertensive (OR = 1.88, 95%CI = 1.02-3.47) as compared with men who had a normal BMI (20.0-24.9 kg/m2). Obese men (> or = 30.0 kg/m2) had an increased risk, but this association was not significant (OR = 1.40, 95%CI = 0.34-5.69). Similar risk factors were identified among women. Overweight women had a 1.74-increased risk for hypertension (OR = 1.74, 95%CI = 1.13-2.69). The corresponding risk was increased 3-fold among obese women (OR = 3.05, 95%CI = 1.76-5.29). Among men, age and BMI were positively associated with increased SBP, DBP and MAP Men > or = 60 years of age had an increase in SBP (beta = 18.89, p < 0.001), DBP (beta = 5.53, p < 0.001), and MAP (beta = 9.89, p < 0.001) values as compared with the referent group (< 40 years). Similar associations were noted among women. CONCLUSION: Hypertension risk factors observed in this Thai population are similar to those found in Western populations. Prospective studies are needed to evaluate rigorously causal relationships between risk factors and hypertension.