Arterial Hypertension as a Cardiovascular Risk Factor in an Elderly Community of Low Social Condition

Journal of Clinical and Basic Cardiology 2001; 4 (3): 225-227

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Keywords: Hypertonie,  Kardiologie,  kardiovaskulärer Risikofaktor,  cardiology,  cardiovascular risk factors,  hypertension

Hypertension is one of the most important cardiovascular (atherothrombotic) risk factors in the industrialised countries because of its high prevalence. This interest grows even more in the elderly population where the prevalence of hypertension is even higher. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of hypertension in an elderly community of low social condition from Vitoria-Gasteiz and to investigate its significance as a risk factor in relation to atherothrombotic disease. We have studied a sample of 302 women older than 65 years from Vitoria-Gasteiz. The examination included among other parameters: two blood pressure measurements following WHO normatives, Cardiovascular Blackburn and Rose questionnaire and ECG. The prevalence of hypertension observed was 47 % which increases to 58.6 % if we consider effective antihypertensive treatment (WHO) and 77.8 % (JNC-V). Isolated systolic hypertension has turned out to be the most frequent type of hypertension. We have found statistical significative differences, comparing the percentage of cardiovascular diseases among hypertensives (33.1 %) and normotensives (10.6 %), being the risk 4.16 (CI: 2.17-8.05) times fold in elderly hypertensives. We can see that the prevalence of hypertension is very high in this group and that there is a clear evidence of cardiovascular risk among elderly hypertensives. If we consider that control of blood pressure is as effective in middle age individuals than in older ones, we consider that interventions are necessary in this population.