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[Prevalence of hypertension in the population of Castile-Leon (Spain)]

A Tomás Vega Alonso1, José E Lozano Alonso, Rufino Alamo Sanz

  • 1Observatorio de Salud Pública, Dirección General de Salud Pública y Consumo, Consejería de Sanidad, Valladolid, España. vegaloto@jcyl.es

Gaceta Sanitaria
|August 30, 2008
PubMed

Insights

High blood pressure (hypertension) affects nearly 40% of adults in Castile-Leon, Spain. Many are unaware of their condition, highlighting a critical public health concern for cardiovascular disease prevention.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology

Context:

  • Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in Spain.
  • Hypertension is a major risk factor for ischemic heart disease and other serious conditions.
  • Prevalence data for hypertension in specific Spanish regions is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose:

  • To determine the prevalence of hypertension in the adult population of Castile-Leon in 2004.
  • To identify other indicators of hypertension, including awareness and disease staging.
  • To provide data for public health strategies aimed at cardiovascular disease prevention.

Summary:

  • A cross-sectional study of 4,012 individuals aged 15+ in Castile-Leon revealed a hypertension prevalence of 38.7%.
  • Hypertension was more prevalent in men (40.4%) than women (37.4%).
  • Only 22.2% of hypertensive individuals were aware of their condition, with significant proportions exhibiting prehypertension (44%) and stages 1 (17.5%) and 2 (4%) hypertension.

Impact:

  • The study highlights a significant public health issue with a high prevalence of undiagnosed hypertension and prehypertension in Castile-Leon.
  • Findings underscore the need for increased hypertension screening and awareness programs to mitigate cardiovascular disease risk.
  • The data contributes to the understanding of hypertension epidemiology in Spain, informing national and regional health policies.
Abstract

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