[Hypertension in the advanced old aged: prevalence and treatment in comparative urban and rural survey].
Hypertension is a serious medical, social and economical problem. It is accepted that high blood pressure is one of the major risk factors of all kinds of cardiovascular diseases. The aim of the study was to estimate the prevalence of hypertension and evaluate the difficulties with antihypertensive treatment in the rural and urban community dwelling elderly in advanced old age. The survey was carried out, as a screening, in systematically sampled 463 people 75 years old and over, coming from area served by primary health units (230 in urban area--Białystok and 233 in rural area--Sokółka). Estimation of blood pressure (single measure) and medical anamnesis concerning earlier diagnoses and pharmacological treatment was made in proband's home by general practitioner or community nurse. The diagnosis of hypertension was established according to the WHO-ISN criteria.


RESULTS
In general 49.1% of the elderly in urban and 70.4% in rural area had elevated systolic or/and diastolic blood pressure independently on antihypertensive medication; significantly more frequent in female than in male. 32% of the elderly in urban and 22% in rural area had normal blood pressure without antihypertensive treatment ("healthy"), whereas respectively 19% and 7% had normal blood pressure with antihypertensive treatment. 21% of persons in Białystok city and 38% in Sokółka had elevated high arterial pressure and hadn't any antihypertensive treatment. The results of the study confirm the high prevalence of hypertension in elderly population, higher in rural than urban area. Therapy of hypertension in studied group was ineffective in most of the hypertensive patients, mainly in neglected rural area. The differences between urban and rural samples can be partly explained by socio-demografic characteristic of the two studied population.
Zakład Gerontologii Klinicznej i Społecznej Akademii Medycznej, 15-230 Białystok, ul. Kilińskiego 1.
Jolanta
J
Wilmańska
Barbara
B
Bień
Beata
B
Wojszel
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D011044:Poland; D015995:Prevalence; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019037:Urban Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents