Prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension in Hellas, Greece: the Hypertension Study in General Practice in Hellas (HYPERTENSHELL) national study.
BACKGROUND
The Hypertension Study in General Practice in Hellas (Hypertenshell) is a cross-sectional study (much like the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study) for assessing the prevalence, level of awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension in Greece.


METHODS
The study was conducted with the collaboration of physicians in 98 Health Centers across Greece. Participants were interviewed about lifestyle, and blood pressure (BP) measurements were taken on two clinical visits for verification of diagnosis and control of hypertension. Hypertension was defined as systolic BP > or =140 mm Hg or diastolic BP > or =90 mm Hg, or current treatment with antihypertensive drugs; the same threshold was used for assessing control of hypertension.


RESULTS
A total of 11,950 individuals participated and data for 11,540 were analyzed, comprising 0.1% of the Greek population. The prevalence of hypertension was 31.1% (men 33.6%, women 28.4%); among elderly individuals (>65 years) the prevalence was higher (65.4%). Of the hypertensive individuals, 39.8% did not know that had hypertension, yielding an awareness of 60.2%; in addition, 12.4% were aware but not treated (men 13.1%, women 11.8%). In all, 51.2% (1838) of hypertensive subjects were treated; 67.2% (1235) were treated but not controlled (men 66.7%, women 67.7%); and 32.8% (603) were treated and controlled (men 33.3%, women 32.3%).


CONCLUSIONS
The results of the Hypertenshell Study indicate that hypertension is a common risk factor for cardiovascular disease in the Greek population. Awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension are comparable to the best rates of control of hypertension given for the problem, but there is a considerable potential for further improvement in the control of this disease.
Efstratopoulos
Aris D
AD
Hypertension Unit, G. Gennimatas General Hospital of Athens, 20 Vasileos Irakliou Street, 10682 Athens, Greece. artemio@hol.gr
Voyaki
Sofia M
SM
Baltas
Athanasios A
AA
Vratsistas
Filippos A
FA
Kirlas
Dimitrios-Eteoklis P
DE
Kontoyannis
John T
JT
Sakellariou
John G
JG
Triantaphyllou
George B
GB
Alokrios
Gregorios A
GA
Lianas
Dimitrios N
DN
Vasilakis
Emanuel A
EA
Fotiadis
Kyriakos N
KN
Kastritsea
Evangelia E
EE
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents