[Problem of early registration of hypertension: combination of x-ray and blood-pressure determination].

In a program aiming at 30,000 blood pressure measurements per year 12,401 persons have been examined in the canton of Berne (population of approx. 1 million) from first of January 1976 to the end of April 1977. This group belongs to the active working part of the inhabitants (age 30 years and more). The introduction of this method was without any problems. 97 to 100 percent of the people participated on a voluntary base. A short personal history of hypertension and smoking habits were requested by a questionnaire. Some results obtained by the use of a general computerprogram are presented: 15.1 % of the screened population had a hypertension greater than or equal to 160/95 mmHg. 55.5 % were unknown to the examined persons. Connections with other findings than hypertension, such as pathologic images of the heart in the x-ray and smoking have been determined. 66.5 % showed one, two or three of the above mentioned findings. The advantages of this method are stressed.