Hypertension in the city of São Paulo: self-reported prevalence assessed by telephone surveys.
BACKGROUND
Little is known about the prevalence of hypertension in São Paulo, Brazil.


OBJECTIVE
To identify the prevalence of self-reported hypertension in the city of São Paulo.


METHODS
There were 613 telephone interviews using directories of household land-lines. The sample was calculated with an estimated prevalence of hypertension in 20.0%.


RESULTS
The prevalence of self-reported hypertension was 23.0% and 9.0% of respondents reported that the value of their last pressure measurement was greater than 140/90 mmHg, but they were unaware that they were hypertensive, with a total prevalence 32.0%. Hypertensive patients reported that: 89.0% were under treatment and 35.2% were controlled; 27.0% miss medical appointments; 16.2% stop taking drugs; 14.8% have a history of stroke; 27.8% had heart disease and 38.7% had hypercholesterolemia; 71.2% received advice to reduce salt, 64.6% to perform physical activity, 60.0% to lose weight loss and 26.2% to control stress; and 78.9% measured pressure regularly. There was a statistically significant relation (p < 0.05) for: 1) missing medical appointments with longer treatment and irregular health monitoring; 2) stop taking the drugs with smoking, alcohol and failure to monitor health; 3) carry out treatment for hypertension with dyslipidemia, higher age and longer use of contraceptives for women; and 4) body mass index changed with diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, uncontrolled systolic blood pressure and use of more than one anti-hypertension drug.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of self-reported hypertension in the city of São Paulo resembles the prevalence found in other studies.
Mion
Décio
D
Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
Pierin
Angela M G
AM
Bensenor
Isabela M
IM
Marin
Júlio César M
JC
Costa
Karla Ryuko Abe
KR
Henrique
Luiz Fernando de Oliveira
LF
Alencar
Natália de Pinho
Nde P
Couto
Rodrigo do Carmo
Rdo C
Laurenti
Tales Eduardo
TE
Machado
Thiago Arthur Oliveira
TA
D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D057566:Self Report; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors