Blood pressure and hypertension.

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Health
• Public Health Surveillance
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a significant global cause of disability and mortality.
• Continuous monitoring of hypertension burden in Canada is crucial for public health.
• Understanding hypertension trends is vital for effective health policy and intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate key hypertension metrics in Canadian adults aged 20-79.
• To analyze trends in blood pressure, prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control from 2007 to 2015.
• To identify disparities in hypertension management across different age groups.

Main Methods:

• Utilized measured data from the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS).
• Calculated average systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP).
• Determined hypertension prevalence using BP thresholds of ≥140/90 mm Hg and ≥130/80 mm Hg, alongside medication use.

Main Results:

• In 2012-2015, 23-24% of adults had hypertension (BP ≥140/90 mm Hg or on medication).
• Prevalence rose to 32-40% when using a BP threshold of ≥130/80 mm Hg.
• Hypertension awareness (84%), treatment (80%), and control (66%) were high overall, but lower in adults aged 20-39.

Conclusions:

• Canadian hypertension prevalence has been stable, with generally high awareness, treatment, and control rates.
• Younger adults (20-39 years) exhibit lower awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension.
• Public health efforts should focus on improving hypertension detection and management in younger populations.