Hypertension awareness, treatment and control rates for an Asian population: results from a national survey in Korea.
OBJECTIVE
This observational study was performed in order to determine the hypertension awareness, treatment, and control rates for the country of Korea.


METHODS
Rates were determined in conjunction with a national blood pressure survey in Korea in 1990. Through cluster sampling, individuals aged > 30 in 190/146,944 districts were selected for study. Among 25,567 eligible individuals, 21,242 had measurement of blood pressure (BP) and answered a standard questionnaire. BP was recorded as the mean of two measurements with a standard mercury manometer. Hypertension was defined either as BP > or = 160/95 mm Hg or on treatment (n = 2628), or as BP > or = 140/90 mm Hg or on treatment (n = 4219). Treatment was defined as any method of BP treatment, including dietary, traditional, or medication.


RESULTS
Rates for BP > or = 160/95 mm Hg or on treatment: aware 1057 (40%), treated 696 (27%), controlled 367 (14%). Rates for BP > or = 140/90 mm Hg or on treatment: aware 1069 (25%), treated 696 (16%), controlled 221 (5%).


CONCLUSIONS
Hypertension awareness, treatment, and control rates are relatively low in Korea. Blood-pressure control programs, including detection strategies, are needed here and worldwide.
Jones
D W
DW
Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, USA.
Kim
J S
JS
Kim
S J
SJ
Hong
Y P
YP
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012494:Sampling Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires