Prevalence of prehypertension and its relationship to cardiovascular disease risk factors in Puducherry.

Prehypertension (PHT) leads to hypertension (HT) and cardiovascular (CVD) disease risk. Identification of CVD risk factors in PHT will reduce the burden of HT and CVD in the population. Three hundred staffs of a medical college were screened for prehypertension (PHT). Sixty five PHT and 91 normotensives (NT) were enrolled. Anthropometric measurements and fasting blood glucose and lipid variables were measured. Prevalence of PHT was 22% (males 71%; females 29%). Hip circumference, waist circumference (WC), body mass index (BMI), fasting blood glucose (FBS) and atherogenic lipid indices triglycerides (TG), VLDL cholesterol, TG/HDL and LDL/HDL were increased in PHT. PHT showed significant positive association with BMI, WC, FBS, TG and TG/HDL. Regression analysis revealed BMI, TG and TG/HDL as the independent CVD risk factors in PHT. PHT is predominant in males and BMI, TG are the independent CVD risk factors in Puducherry.