title: Epidemiological research on the incidence and prevalence of arterial hypertension in the Portuguese population: a scoping review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Portuguese population is reported to have among the highest levels of mean blood pressure. The aim of the present study is to conduct a structured literature review describing the scope (quantity, focus and nature) of published epidemiological research on the prevalence and incidence of hypertension in the Portuguese population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The scoping review was conducted during June 2013, using two information sources, B-on and PubMed, to search for published studies on the prevalence and incidence of hypertension with data collected between 2005-2013 and 1995-2013, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified 527 publications: 14 on the prevalence and two on the incidence of hypertension. The results show more studies on populations in the North region of Portugal; an apparent lack of published studies specifically targeting the Alentejo and Algarve populations; long delays between data collection and publication of results (up to nine years); considerable variability in measurement methods; and infrequent data stratification by gender and age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Differences in blood pressure measurement methods, not specified in most studies, the infrequency of stratification of results by gender and age, and the geographic asymmetry in coverage of the Portuguese population, hinder monitoring of the incidence and prevalence of hypertension in Portugal.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Epidemiologia, Instituto Nacional Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Lisboa, Portugal. Electronic address: mafalda.uva@insa.minsaude.pt.
authors.forename: Mafalda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sousa Uva
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Epidemiologia, Instituto Nacional Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Paulo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Victorino
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Epidemiologia, Instituto Nacional Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Roquette
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Epidemiologia, Instituto Nacional Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ausenda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Epidemiologia, Instituto Nacional Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Matias Dias
mesh_terms: D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015994:Incidence; D011174:Portugal / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence
keywords: Hipertensão arterial; Hypertension; Incidence; Incidência; Portugal; Prevalence; Prevalência; Review; Revisão