Hypertension screening and cardiovascular risk profiling in Vietnam.

The purpose of the present descriptive study was to determine the risks associated with hypertension in Vietnamese communities around Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The 357 volunteers for this health promotion screening consisted of 125 men and 232 women, 19-85 years of age. Participants completed surveys on their cardiovascular health history, health practices and hypertension knowledge. Nearly one-third of the sample was found to have systolic blood pressure (SBP) above 139 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) above 89 mmHg. Fifteen participants had either SBP over 180 mmHg or DBP over 108 mmHg, nine of these 15 participants were taking antihypertensive drugs and 76 were taking other cardiac medications. The majority (98%) cooked with salt and 75% added salt when eating. Drinking alcohol (21%) and smoking (23%) were more common in male participants. Knowledge of cardiovascular risks was very low, indicating a need for community health promotion activities with educational campaigns and further screenings.