Is hypertension changing? Blood pressure development in cohorts of 50-year-old men between 1963 and 1993.
OBJECTIVE
To study secular trends in the prevalence and treatment of hypertension in the general population, and the disease course.


METHODS
Health examinations of cohorts of 50-year-old men in 1963, 1973, 1983 and 1993.


METHODS
The city of Göteborg, Sweden (about 400,000 inhabitants).


METHODS
Random population samples of 50-year-old men.


METHODS
Mean blood pressure (BP) levels in the populations and among treated hypertensives, proportions of hypertensives, and frequency of high BP values (> or = 160/and or 95, and > or = 175/115 mmHg, respectively).


RESULTS
The mean population BP decreased from 138.4/89.0 mm to 128.7/84.4 mmHg during the 30-year period (p < 0.0001). Mean BP levels among treated hypertensives decreased from 170/113 to 142/94 mmHg (p < 0.0001), and the proportion of men with high BP values diminished from 3.9 to 0.1%. Also BP levels among normotensives decreased significantly (p < 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
The findings could partly be seen as a result of successful case-finding and treatment of hypertension in the region, but alteration of the natural course of hypertension cannot be excluded.
Ribacke
M
M
Department of Family Medicine, University of Uppsala, Sweden.
Tibblin
G
G
Rosengren
A
A
Eriksson
H
H
D001794:Blood Pressure; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged