Prevalence of prehypertension and hypertension in a Korean population: Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey 2001.
OBJECTIVE
The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of prehypertension and hypertension, and their association with the risk factors in a Korean population.


METHODS
The Korean Nation Health and Nutrition Survey 2001, a cross-sectional survey, was a nationally representative survey in which a stratified multistage sampling design was used.


METHODS
Data from a comprehensive questionnaire, together with a physical examination and blood sample, were obtained from 6074 Korean adults (2620 men and 3454 women) aged > or = 20 years, and analysed.


RESULTS
The estimated age-adjusted prevalence of hypertension and prehypertension was 22.9% (26.9% in men, 20.5% in women) and 31.6% (41.9% in men, 25.9% in women), respectively, in the Korean population according to Joint National Committee 7 criteria. Multivariate analysis revealed that age, gender, body mass index, fasting plasma glucose, total-cholesterol and alcohol consumption were significantly associated with hypertension. Overall, only 30.2% of the hypertensive individuals had been previously diagnosed. Furthermore, 22.9% of the hypertensive individuals were being treated with antihypertensive medication, but only 10.7% had their blood pressure adequately controlled. The rates of awareness, treatment and control were higher for the women than for the men, and these rates increased with age.


CONCLUSIONS
Hypertension and prehypertension are common in Korea, and more than one-half of the hypertensive patients have not been diagnosed. These results place great emphasis on the urgent need for a public health program to improve the detection, prevention and treatment of hypertension and prehypertension.
Choi
Kyung Mook
KM
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Park
Hye Soon
HS
Han
Jee Hye
JH
Lee
Jee Sung
JS
Lee
Juneyoung
J
Ryu
Ok Hyun
OH
Lee
Kye Won
KW
Cho
Kyung Hwan
KH
Yoon
Dokyong
D
Baik
Sei Hyun
SH
Choi
Dong Seop
DS
Kim
Seon Mee
SM
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000886:Anthropometry; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001364:Awareness; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents