Hypertension. A major public health problem in Brazil.

Data collected from various geographical areas show that hypertension is a major public health problem in Brazil. Hypertension is estimated to occur in over 8 million Brazilians and cardiovascular disease-related mortality figures, to which hypertension is a major contributor, increased from 11.8% of the total mortality rate in 1930 to 30.8% in 1980. Costs involved in the treatment of hypertensive patients are very high since hypertension was among the 3 most frequent clinical diagnoses in outpatient visits in 1985. Hypertension is also a major cause of temporary or permanent work incapacitation among Brazilians and data from São Paulo show that hypertension is very common among workers. Finally, demographic tendencies in São Paulo indicate that older age groups have increased in the general population during the past 2 decades. These data, when taken altogether, indicate that hypertension is a major public health problem in Brazil.