The Burden of Hypertension and Associated Risk for Cardiovascular Mortality in China

Hypertension is a leading cause of premature death in China, but limited evidence is available on the prevalence and management of hypertension and its effect on mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD).

To examine the prevalence, diagnosis, treatment, and control of hypertension and to assess the CVD mortality attributable to hypertension in China.

This prospective cohort study (China Kadoorie Biobank Study) recruited 500 223 adults, aged 35 to 74 years, from the general population in China. Blood pressure (BP) measurements were recorded as part of the baseline survey from June 25, 2004, to August 5, 2009, and 7028 deaths due to CVD were recorded before January 1, 2014 (mean duration of follow-up: 7.2 years). Data were analyzed from June 9, 2014, to July 17, 2015.

Prevalence and diagnosis of hypertension (systolic BP ≥140 mm Hg, diastolic BP ≥90 mm Hg, or receiving treatment for hypertension) and treatment and control rates overall and in various population subgroups.

Cox regression analysis yielded age- and sex-specific rate ratios for deaths due to CVD comparing participants with and without uncontrolled hypertension, which were used to estimate the number of CVD deaths attributable to hypertension.

The cohort included 205 167 men (41.0%) and 295 056 women (59.0%) with a mean (SD) age of 52 (10) years for both sexes. Overall, 32.5% of participants had hypertension; the prevalence increased with age (from 12.6% at 35-39 years of age to 58.4% at 70-74 years of age) and varied substantially by region (range, 22.7%-40.7%). Of those with hypertension, 30.5% had received a diagnosis from a physician; of those with a diagnosis of hypertension, 46.4% were being treated; and of those treated, 29.6% had their hypertension controlled (ie, systolic BP <140 mm Hg; diastolic BP <90 mm Hg), resulting in an overall control rate of 4.2%. Even among patients with hypertension and prior CVD, only 13.0% had their hypertension controlled. Uncontrolled hypertension was associated with relative risks for CVD mortality of 4.1 (95% CI, 3.7-4.6), 2.6 (95% CI, 2.4-2.9) and 1.9 (95% CI, 1.8-2.0) at ages 35 to 59, 60 to 69, and 70 to 79 years, respectively, and accounted for about one-third of deaths due to CVD (approximately 750 000) at 35 to 79 years of age in 2010.

About one-third of Chinese adults in this national cohort population had hypertension. The levels of diagnosis, treatment, and control were much lower than in Western populations, and were associated with significant excess mortality.