Prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension: rule of thirds in the Skaraborg project.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the prevalence, awareness, and control of hypertension in a Swedish population during the early 2000s to address implications for care and prevention.


METHODS
A cross-sectional population survey.


METHODS
Primary health care in Skaraborg, a rural part of western Sweden.


METHODS
Participants (n =2816) in a population survey of a random sample of men and women between 30 and 75 years of age in the municipalities of Vara (81% participation rate) and Skövde (70%), in western Sweden during 2001-2005.


METHODS
Anthropometric measures, blood pressure, leisure-time physical activity, current smoking, fasting glucose, and cholesterol. Hypertension was defined as ongoing treatment for hypertension, or three consecutive blood pressure readings ≥140 systolic and/or ≥90 mmHg diastolic. Hypertension was considered controlled when the blood pressure was <140/90 mm Hg (both).


RESULTS
The prevalence of hypertension was 20% in both men and women with a steep increase by age. Among hypertensive subjects, 33% were unaware, 36% aware but uncontrolled, and 31% aware and controlled, with no statistically significant differences between men and women. Patients with diabetes had a higher awareness (87% vs. 64%, p <0.001), but the same control rate (56% vs. 44%, p =0.133), when compared with those without diabetes.


CONCLUSIONS
A large proportion of subjects with hypertension are still unaware of their condition, or aware but not controlled. It is important to emphasize population-based prevention to reduce the prevalence of hypertension, to perform screening to increase awareness, and to improve implementation of expert guidelines in clinical practice to improve control.
Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. ulf.lindblad@allmed.gu.se
Ulf
U
Lindblad
Johanna
J
Ek
Jenny
J
Eckner
Charlotte A
CA
Larsson
Guangliang
G
Shan
Lennart
L
Råstam
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents