title: Promotion, prevention and arterial hypertension care in Brazil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the prevalence of promotion, prevention and arterial hypertension care actions in adults and to identify their association with decompensated hypertension.
  
  
  METHODS
  A population-based cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted by interviewing 12,324 adults aged from 20 to 59 years, in 100 Brazilian cities. The independent variables considered as promotion, prevention and hypertension care were as follows: to have received guidance on ideal weight maintenance and physical activity practice; to have consulted a doctor; and to have had an electrocardiogram performed in the previous year. A blood pressure higher than 140/90 mm/Hg was considered to be decompensated, being the dependent variable adopted to assess quality of care.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of all participants, 16.3% (n = 2,004) reported a medical diagnosis of hypertension. The highest prevalences of hypertension were observed in the 50 to 59 year age group, primarily in the Southeast and Center-West regions. More than half (66.1%) of participants had a medical consultation about hypertension in the previous year, of which half (52.4%) had an electrocardiogram. Of all those with hypertension who had their blood pressure measured during interview (74.6%), less than half (42.4%) had decompensated values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was no association between having consulted a doctor in the previous year and decompensated blood pressure values. The proportion of decompensated hypertensive participants was significantly lower among those who had received guidance on ideal weight maintenance and physical activity practice and those who had had an electrocardiogram performed. The following factors were associated with decompensated hypertension: to be male, to be aged more than 40 years and to live in the South region.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Social, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brasil. piccini@terra.com.br
authors.forename: Roberto Xavier
authors.initials: RX
authors.lastname: Piccini
authors.forename: Luiz Augusto
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Facchini
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tomasi
authors.forename: Fernando Vinholes
authors.initials: FV
authors.lastname: Siqueira
authors.forename: Denise Silva da
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Thumé
authors.forename: Suele M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Alitéia Santiago
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Dilelio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult