[Arterial hypertension in Senegal: epidemiological aspects, clinical features, and therapeutic management problems]

The authors report the results of a bunch of studies about hypertension in Senegal: a retrospective study concerning 868 patients in the cardiologic center; a prospective study on 2329 subjects in Pikine, a Dakar Suburb; a study led near 121 physicians about their dealing with hypertension problems. Hypertension is the second reason of hospitalization in cardiology just after the rheumatic cardiopathy. The mortality rate is 6.35%. The hypertension frequency in the suburb is 10.43% (certified hypertension) and 25.03% (borderline to certified). The same frequency is found between males and females patients. This frequency grows with the body mass index and age. Many problems occur concerning the treatment: lack of proper following (39%), failure of the therapy (39%), inappropriate reduction of physical activities (82.5%), strict ban of any salt intake for mild to moderate hypertension (13.18%).