The Prevalence of Isolated Systolic Hypertension Among Routine Health Examines in A University Hospital in Korea

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Recently, there are many studies that highlights the importance of the systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure as a better prognostic factor than diastolic blood pressure especially in older persons. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of isolated systolic hypertension in the elderly aged more than 60 years old who visit to hospital for routine health exam. METHODS: This study was done in one university hospital in a mid-sized city in Kyungki-provine of Korea, during one year from Feb. 1st, 2005. The study participants were people aged 60-yr-old or over who came to hospital for taking routine health examination offered by Korea's national health insurance corporation. We investigated the proportion of the isolated systolic hypertension among untreated hypertension by double-checked blood pressure. Besides we got information about eating habits, drinking and smoking status, exercise and stress, fasting blood glucose, serum total cholesterol, proteinuria and hematuria by standardized questionnaire and blood and unine test. RESULTS: The total number of participants were 2,480. Among them, 1,181 persons (47.6%) were males, 1,299 persons females (52.4%). 1,706 persons (68.8%) were in their sixties, 774 persons (31.2%) in their seventies or more. In males, 494 (41.8% of total males) had hypertension. Among 211 males with untreated hypertension, 109 (51.7%) had isolated systolic hypertension (ISH). In females, 551 (42.4% of total temales) had hypertension. Among 201 females with untreated hypertension, 132 (65.7%) had ISH. In male, body mass in dex (BMI), fasting blood gulcose and total cholesterol were significantly associated with ISH. In female BMI, age, drinking status were significant. In female, drinking status was a protective factor. CONCLUSIONS: In Korea older people aged 60 or more, isolated systolic hypertension is occupying most part of hypertension. As Korea is entering into a rapidly aging society, from now on, older persons with isolated systolic hypertension is expected to increase rapidly. In the future, The more studies and more active treatment for isolated systolic hypertension is to be required.