Systolic Blood Pressure and Its Determinants: Study in a Population Attending Pharmacies in a Portuguese Coastal City
Hypertension is a common condition causing cardio
and cerebrovascular complications. Portugal has one of the highest
mortality rates from stroke and a high prevalence of hypertension.
Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) is an important risk factor for
cardiovascular events (myocardial infarction and stroke) and
premature mortality, particularly in the elderly population. The
present study aims to estimate the prevalence of hypertension in a
Portuguese population living in a coastal city and to identify some of
its determinants (namely gender, age, the body mass index and
physical activity frequency). A total of 91 adults who attended three pharmacies of a coastal
city in the center of Portugal, between May and August of 2013 were
evaluated. Attendants who reported to have diabetes or taking
antihypertensive drugs in the 2 previous weeks were excluded from
the study. Sociodemographic factors, BMI, habits of exercise and BP
were assessed. Hypertension was defined as blood pressure ≥140/90
mmHg. The majority of the studied population was constituted by women
(75.8%), with a mean age of 54.2±1.6 years old, married or living in
civil union and that had completed secondary school or had higher
education (40%). They presented a mean BMI of 26.2±4.76 Kg/m2.,
and were sedentary. The mean BP was 127.0±17.77mmHg- 74.69 ±
9.53. In this population we found 4.3% of people with hypertension
and 16.1% with normal high blood pressure. Men exhibit a tendency to present higher systolic blood pressure
values than women. Of all the factors considered, SBP values also
tended to be higher with age and higher BMI values.
Despite the fact that the mean values of SBP did not present values
higher than 140 mmHg we must be concerned because the studied
population is undiagnosed for hypertension. Although this is a preliminary study, it might be a prelude to the
upcoming research about the underlying factors responsible for the
occurrence of SBP.
[1] World Health Organization. Causes of death 2008: data sources and
methods. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2008. Available from:
http://www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/cod_sources_met
hods.pdf/inter-ref.
[2] S. S. Lima, T. T. Vos and A. D. Flaxman, “A Comparative Risk
Assessment of Burden of Disease and Injury Attributable to 67 Risk
Factors and Risk Factor Clusters in 21 Regions, 1990–2010: A
Systematic Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010”,
Lancet, 380, pp. 2224-60, 2012.
[3] World Health Organization. Risk Factors: Blood Pressure. Global Health
Observatory Data Repository. Geneva: World Health Organization;
2008. Available from: <interref>
http://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.main.A874?lang=en</inter-ref.
[4] World Health Organization. Global Status Report on Non
Communicable Diseases 2010. Geneva: World Health Organization;
2011. Available from:
<interref>http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2011/9789240686458_e
ng.pdf</inter-ref.
[5] G. Danaei, M. M. Finucane and J. K. Lin. “National, Regional, and
Global Trends in Systolic Blood Pressure since 1980: Systematic
Analysis of Health Examination Surveys and Epidemiological Studies
with 786 Country-Years and 5.4 Million Participants”, Lancet, 377, pp.
568-577, 2011.
[6] Instituto Nacional de Estatística. The Demographic Changes in Portugal. Lisboa: Instituto Nacional de Estatística; 2008.
[7] M. E. Macedo, M. J. Lima, A. O. Silva, P. Alcântara, V. Ramalhinho
and J. Carmona. “Prevalence, Awareness, Treatment and Control of
Hypertension in Portugal. The PAP Study”, Rev Port Cardiol, 26, pp.
21-39, 2007.
[8] European Society of Cardiology. European Cardiovascular Disease
Statistics 2012. Brussels: European Heart Network AISBL, 2012.
[9] M. Pereira, H. Carreira, C. Vales, V. Rocha, A. Azevedo and N. Lunet
“Trends in Hypertension Prevalence (1990–2005) and Mean Blood
Pressure (1975–2005) in Portugal: A Systematic Review”, Blood Press.,
21, pp. 220-226, 2012.
[10] J. Perk, G. De Backer and H. Gohlke, “European Guidelines on
Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Clinical Practice (version 2012).
The Fifth Joint Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology and
other Societies on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Clinical
Practice (Constituted by Representatives of Nine Societies and by
Invited Experts)”, European Heart Journal 33, pp. 1635–1701, 2012.
[11] A. Dart, C. Silagy, E. Dewar, C. Jennings and J. McNeil, “Aortic
Distensibility and Left Ventricular Structure and Function in Isolated
Systolic Hypertension”, Eur. Heart J., 14, pp.1465-1470, 1993.
[12] D. G. Beevers, “Epidemiological, Pathophysiological and Clinical
Significance of Systolic, Diastolic and Pulse Pressure”, J. Hum.
Hypertens, 18(8), pp. 531-533, 2004.
[13] D. T. Lackland and B, M. Egan, “The Dominant Role of Systolic
Hypertension as a Vascular Risk Factor: Evidence from the Southeastern
United States”, Am J Med Sci., 318(6), pp. 365-368, 1999.
[14] World Health Organization (WHO). BMI Classification 2013:
Availablefromhttp://apps.who.int/bmi/index.jsp?introPage=intro_3.htm.
[15] Direcão Geral de Saúde. Norma 020/2011 Hipertensão Arterial:
Definição e classificação. Lisboa: Direcão Geral de Saúde.
[16] R. Inoue, T. Ohkubo, M. Kikuya, H. Metoki, K. Asayama, T. Obara, T.
Hirose, A. Hara, H. Hoshi, J. Hashimoto, K. Totsune, H. Satoh, Y.
Kondo and Y. Imai, “Stroke Risk in Systolic and Combined Systolic and
Diastolic Hypertension Determined Using Ambulatory Blood Pressure.
The Ohasama Study”, Am J Hypertens, 20(10), pp. 1123-1125, 2003.
[1] World Health Organization. Causes of death 2008: data sources and
methods. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2008. Available from:
http://www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/cod_sources_met
hods.pdf/inter-ref.
[2] S. S. Lima, T. T. Vos and A. D. Flaxman, “A Comparative Risk
Assessment of Burden of Disease and Injury Attributable to 67 Risk
Factors and Risk Factor Clusters in 21 Regions, 1990–2010: A
Systematic Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010”,
Lancet, 380, pp. 2224-60, 2012.
[3] World Health Organization. Risk Factors: Blood Pressure. Global Health
Observatory Data Repository. Geneva: World Health Organization;
2008. Available from: <interref>
http://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.main.A874?lang=en</inter-ref.
[4] World Health Organization. Global Status Report on Non
Communicable Diseases 2010. Geneva: World Health Organization;
2011. Available from:
<interref>http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2011/9789240686458_e
ng.pdf</inter-ref.
[5] G. Danaei, M. M. Finucane and J. K. Lin. “National, Regional, and
Global Trends in Systolic Blood Pressure since 1980: Systematic
Analysis of Health Examination Surveys and Epidemiological Studies
with 786 Country-Years and 5.4 Million Participants”, Lancet, 377, pp.
568-577, 2011.
[6] Instituto Nacional de Estatística. The Demographic Changes in Portugal. Lisboa: Instituto Nacional de Estatística; 2008.
[7] M. E. Macedo, M. J. Lima, A. O. Silva, P. Alcântara, V. Ramalhinho
and J. Carmona. “Prevalence, Awareness, Treatment and Control of
Hypertension in Portugal. The PAP Study”, Rev Port Cardiol, 26, pp.
21-39, 2007.
[8] European Society of Cardiology. European Cardiovascular Disease
Statistics 2012. Brussels: European Heart Network AISBL, 2012.
[9] M. Pereira, H. Carreira, C. Vales, V. Rocha, A. Azevedo and N. Lunet
“Trends in Hypertension Prevalence (1990–2005) and Mean Blood
Pressure (1975–2005) in Portugal: A Systematic Review”, Blood Press.,
21, pp. 220-226, 2012.
[10] J. Perk, G. De Backer and H. Gohlke, “European Guidelines on
Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Clinical Practice (version 2012).
The Fifth Joint Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology and
other Societies on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Clinical
Practice (Constituted by Representatives of Nine Societies and by
Invited Experts)”, European Heart Journal 33, pp. 1635–1701, 2012.
[11] A. Dart, C. Silagy, E. Dewar, C. Jennings and J. McNeil, “Aortic
Distensibility and Left Ventricular Structure and Function in Isolated
Systolic Hypertension”, Eur. Heart J., 14, pp.1465-1470, 1993.
[12] D. G. Beevers, “Epidemiological, Pathophysiological and Clinical
Significance of Systolic, Diastolic and Pulse Pressure”, J. Hum.
Hypertens, 18(8), pp. 531-533, 2004.
[13] D. T. Lackland and B, M. Egan, “The Dominant Role of Systolic
Hypertension as a Vascular Risk Factor: Evidence from the Southeastern
United States”, Am J Med Sci., 318(6), pp. 365-368, 1999.
[14] World Health Organization (WHO). BMI Classification 2013:
Availablefromhttp://apps.who.int/bmi/index.jsp?introPage=intro_3.htm.
[15] Direcão Geral de Saúde. Norma 020/2011 Hipertensão Arterial:
Definição e classificação. Lisboa: Direcão Geral de Saúde.
[16] R. Inoue, T. Ohkubo, M. Kikuya, H. Metoki, K. Asayama, T. Obara, T.
Hirose, A. Hara, H. Hoshi, J. Hashimoto, K. Totsune, H. Satoh, Y.
Kondo and Y. Imai, “Stroke Risk in Systolic and Combined Systolic and
Diastolic Hypertension Determined Using Ambulatory Blood Pressure.
The Ohasama Study”, Am J Hypertens, 20(10), pp. 1123-1125, 2003.
@article{"International Journal of Medical, Medicine and Health Sciences:71321", author = "M. J. Reis Lima and J. Oliveira and M. Brito and C. Lemos and A. Mascarenhas and E. Teixeira Lemos", title = "Systolic Blood Pressure and Its Determinants: Study in a Population Attending Pharmacies in a Portuguese Coastal City", abstract = "Hypertension is a common condition causing cardio
and cerebrovascular complications. Portugal has one of the highest
mortality rates from stroke and a high prevalence of hypertension.
Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) is an important risk factor for
cardiovascular events (myocardial infarction and stroke) and
premature mortality, particularly in the elderly population. The
present study aims to estimate the prevalence of hypertension in a
Portuguese population living in a coastal city and to identify some of
its determinants (namely gender, age, the body mass index and
physical activity frequency). A total of 91 adults who attended three pharmacies of a coastal
city in the center of Portugal, between May and August of 2013 were
evaluated. Attendants who reported to have diabetes or taking
antihypertensive drugs in the 2 previous weeks were excluded from
the study. Sociodemographic factors, BMI, habits of exercise and BP
were assessed. Hypertension was defined as blood pressure ≥140/90
mmHg. The majority of the studied population was constituted by women
(75.8%), with a mean age of 54.2±1.6 years old, married or living in
civil union and that had completed secondary school or had higher
education (40%). They presented a mean BMI of 26.2±4.76 Kg/m2.,
and were sedentary. The mean BP was 127.0±17.77mmHg- 74.69 ±
9.53. In this population we found 4.3% of people with hypertension
and 16.1% with normal high blood pressure. Men exhibit a tendency to present higher systolic blood pressure
values than women. Of all the factors considered, SBP values also
tended to be higher with age and higher BMI values.
Despite the fact that the mean values of SBP did not present values
higher than 140 mmHg we must be concerned because the studied
population is undiagnosed for hypertension. Although this is a preliminary study, it might be a prelude to the
upcoming research about the underlying factors responsible for the
occurrence of SBP.", keywords = "Hypertension, age, exercise, obesity, gender. ", volume = "9", number = "10", pages = "763-4", }