[Factors associated with undiagnosed hypertension among elderly adults in Brazil - ELSI-Brazil]

This article aims to identify factors associated with undiagnosed systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) among elderly adults in Brazil. A total of 5,416 hypertensive participants in the Longitudinal Study of the Health of Elderly Brazilians (ELSI-BRAZIL) were evaluated. Undiagnosed SAH was identified by mean blood pressure (BP) ≥140/90 mmHg without previous SAH diagnosis. Logistic regression was used to verify factors associated with undiagnosed SAH. In this study, 19.8% of the hypertensive patients evaluated did not report a previous diagnosis of SAH. Age between 60 to 69 (OR: 0.68, 95%CI 0.55-0.85) and 70 to79 (OR: 0.67, 95%CI 0.51-0.89), being black (OR: 0.67, 95%CI 0.49-0.91), obese (OR: 0.51, 95%CI 0.40-0.65), having one chronic disease (OR: 0.54, 95%CI 0.44-0.66) or more (OR: 0.32, 95%CI 0.25-0.42) and medical consultations in the last year (OR: 0.47, 95%CI 0.38-0.58) were factors associated with lower chances of undiagnosed SAH, while being male (OR: 1.27, 95%CI 1,05-1,54), presenting low body weight (OR: 1.33, 95%CI 1,00-1,78) and alcohol consumption (OR: 1.36, 95%CI 1,09-1,68) increased the chances of having the undiagnosed condition. The characteristics identified in this study needs to be observed in health services, expanding early diagnosis and preventing the progression of BP and its future consequences.