title: A cross-sectional survey of blood pressure of a coastal city's resident victims of the 2011 Tohoku tsunami.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Blood pressure (BP) increase as a reaction to major disasters has been well documented; however, the impact has been underdocumented for tsunamis. This study aimed to confirm whether different levels of flooding/inundation and other damage caused by the 2011 Tohoku (northeast Japan) tsunami were associated with BP among resident victims in Higashi-Matsushima, Miyagi.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional household screening was conducted 7-19 weeks after the disaster in administrative areas totally or partially flooded by the tsunami. Systolic and diastolic BP (SBP/DBP) were measured in 4,311 residents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a degree-dependent association between SBP/DBP and flooding height above sea level among victims not on antihypertensive medication (P < 0.01 for both). Disruption of the gas supply was also significantly associated with SBP/DBP (P < 0.01 for both). Among individuals on antihypertensive medication, the discontinuation of medication was associated with SBP/DBP (P < 0.01 for both). After adjusting for confounding and multiplicity, a matched case-control analysis did not identify any significant associations between the tsunami or lifeline indicators and high BP (SBP ≥160mm Hg or DBP ≥100mm Hg).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that after a major tsunami, resident victims in areas highly inundated by flood waters and those with disrupted gas supply are more likely to have higher BP and thus might warrant getting BP screening earlier than other residents. Those with hypertension should be given assistance to resume or commence antihypertensive medication as soon as possible to reduce the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
authors: Bureau of International Medical Cooperation, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. murakami@it.ncgm.go.jp
authors: Hitoshi
authors: H
authors: Murakami
authors: Hidechika
authors: H
authors: Akashi
authors: Shinichiro
authors: S
authors: Noda
authors: Tetsuya
authors: T
authors: Mizoue
authors: Osamu
authors: O
authors: Okazaki
authors: Yoshiko
authors: Y
authors: Ouchi
authors: Yuki
authors: Y
authors: Okaji
authors: Chieko
authors: C
authors: Kajiwara
authors: Chiaki
authors: C
authors: Miyoshi
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004190:Disasters; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D009017:Morbidity / Q000639:trends; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology; D057192:Tsunamis; D014505:Urban Population
keywords: Japan; blood pressure; disasters; hypertension; tsunami.