Publication: Prehypertension and its Risk Factors in Suburban Nepal – Findings from the Dhulikhel Heart Study
Date
2019
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kathmandu University
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background
Prehypertension, defined as a systolic blood pressure of 120-139 mmHg or a diastolic
blood pressure of 80-89 mmHg, leads to higher rates of incident hypertension, and is
associated with excess morbidity and deaths from cardiovascular diseases.
Objective
To estimate the prevalence of and examine the factors associated with
prehypertension in Dhulikhel.
Method
This cross-sectional study utilized data from the 752 participants of the Dhulikhel
Heart Study (DHS). The data collectors interviewed the participants at their home
using a tablet based structured pre-tested questionnaire and measured blood
pressure using a standard digital blood pressure machine (Microlife, Switzerland).
Multivariate analysis was conducted using generalized estimating equations with
multivariate logistic regression (with household as cluster) adjusting for age, sex,
ethnicity, marital status, income, education, alcohol consumption, smoking, physical
activity, body mass index (BMI) and food consumption.
Result
Males had a three-fold higher odds of prehypertension than females (OR:3.17,
95% CI:1.91-5.26). The odds of prehypertension increased with being overweight
(OR:2.29, 95% CI:1.42-3.70) and with being obese (OR:5.00, 95% CI:1.81-13.79)
compared to normal BMI. Education reduced the odds of developing prehypertension
(OR:0.51, 95% CI:0.29-0.91). Those who met the recommended level of physical
activity (OR:0.61, 95% CI:0.40-0.95) also were associated with lower prehypertension
prevalence.
Conclusion
Obese/overweight and being male increased the odds of prehypertension whereas
formal education and recommended level of physical activities were associated with
lower prehypertension prevalence. Primordial prevention against cardiovascular
risk factors at the community level, especially targeting the young adult male, is
imperative.
KEY WORDS
Nepal, Prehypertensoin, Risk factors
Description
Tamrakhar D,1 Karmacharya BM,1,2 Shrestha R,3 Koju R,4 Fitzpatrick AL,5 Shrestha A2
1Department of Community Medicine,
2Department of Public Health,
3Department of Pharmacology,
4Department of Internal Medicine
Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences,
Dhulikhel, Nepal.
5Departments of Family Medicine, Epidemiology, and Global Health, University of Washington,
Seattle, WA, USA
Keywords
Nepal, Prehypertensoin, Risk factors