Prevalence and risk factors associated with prehypertension: identification of foci for primary prevention of hypertension.

BACKGROUND AND RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: Prehypertension (pre-HT) has become an important public health issue in China because it identifies people at higher risk for hypertension (HT) and cardiovascular diseases. The aims of this study were to (1) examine the prevalence of pre-HT, (2) identify risk factors of pre-HT, and (3) identify factors that increase the likelihood of developing HT among the pre-HT group. SUBJECT AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study. Community-dwelling residents of an urban district in Wuhan, central China (obtained from stratified random sampling), aged between 35 and 74 years completed the study. Data were collected by using a structured self-reporting questionnaire and a standardized protocol for blood pressure measurement and risk screening. Blood pressure categories were defined according to the results of the seventh report of the Joint National Committee on the Prevention, Detection and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. RESULTS: Among the 1,448 participants, 618 (42.7%) had pre-HT. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed the risk factors of being overweight (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.93; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.26-2.98) or obese (aOR, 8.9; 95% CI, 1.14-62.3) and having above-optimal triglyceride level (aOR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.24-2.26) were associated with pre-HT. Age and lower educational level were also associated with pre-HT risk. There was a clear trend toward an increased risk of HT among the pre-HT group with every 10-year increment in age starting from 45 years (aORs were 3.47, 6.82, and 7.58, respectively). Participants with Pre-HT currently engaging in sedentary work were also found to have a higher risk of developing HT. Other risk factors for HT included being overweight (aOR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.50-2.68), a known family history of HT (aOR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.98-3.26), and presence of diabetes mellitus (aOR, 2.51; 95% CI, 1.66-3.80). CONCLUSION: Prehypertension is common among residents in an urban district in central China. Findings of this study serve to identify the at-risk groups. Targeting these people early with therapeutic lifestyle changes may provide important long-term benefit for HT prevention.

Coping style of persons with acute myocardial infarction from incidence to hospital admission: a qualitative research / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective To deeply explore coping style of persons with acute myocardial infarctionfrom incidence to hospital admission. Methods A qualitative research with cross-sectional and retro-spective multiple-case study was used. Ten persons with confirmed acute myocardial infarction were recruit-ed from a large hospital in Wuhan. Semi-structured interviews and conceptual framework for this study wereconducted based on a guide developed hom a review of the literatures pertaining to coping ability and ex-pert opinion. Interviews were audiotape recorded and transcribed verbatim. Qualitative date were analyzedby using thematic analysis. Results Coping ability influenced patients" decisions in seeking treatment,associated with patients" geographic area, culture and economy but not education. Analysis of the data re-vealed coping ability included three sub-themes: remaining routine life as usual,seeking resources and helpand confirming the disease. Conclusions Systemic health education should be supplied to high-risk pop-ulation to improve their ability to cope with disease.Effective measures should be adopted to reduce timedelay so that the disease incidence rate,death rate and disability rate will be reduced.