OBJECTIVE: To understand the epidemiological features and prevalence of essential hypertension in the rural communities. METHODS: A community-based survey on essential hypertension was carried out in urban and rural areas involving 280,000 population. RESULTS: The prevalence rate of hypertension in age 35 years and over was 31.7% and 32.9% in urban and rural respectively; the average age of the patients' in urbans was significantly higher than in rural areas. Among non-hypertensive cases, more than 50% of the population having risk factors of hypertension in both urban and rural areas. Rates of treatment and control awareness of hypertension were 56.3%, 26.8% and 4.4% respectively in urban; comparing to 40.3%, 17.5% and 2.6% respectively, in the rural areas. More than half of the diagnosed patients before survey did not take antihypertensive medicine for treatment in both areas. The proportions the classification of hypertension were similar in both areas with majority of them, mild and isolated systolic hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: It was demonstrated that there is an urgent need to carry out comprehensive prevention and control for hypertension in urban and rural area.
OBJECTIVE: To understand the epidemiological features and prevalence of essential hypertension in the rural communities. METHODS: A community-based survey on essential hypertension was carried out in urban and rural areas involving 280,000 population. RESULTS: The prevalence rate of hypertension in age 35 years and over was 31.7% and 32.9% in urban and rural respectively; the average age of the patients' in urbans was significantly higher than in rural areas. Among non-hypertensive cases, more than 50% of the population having risk factors of hypertension in both urban and rural areas. Rates of treatment and control awareness of hypertension were 56.3%, 26.8% and 4.4% respectively in urban; comparing to 40.3%, 17.5% and 2.6% respectively, in the rural areas. More than half of the diagnosed patients before survey did not take antihypertensive medicine for treatment in both areas. The proportions the classification of hypertension were similar in both areas with majority of them, mild and isolated systolic hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: It was demonstrated that there is an urgent need to carry out comprehensive prevention and control for hypertension in urban and rural area.