PURPOSE:To find out the prevalence of hypertension in employees of the Hospital and relate it to social demographic variables.METHODS: Blood pressure measurement was performed with a mercury sphygmomanometer, using an appropriate cuff size for arm circumference, weight, and height in a population sample of 864 individuals out of the 9,905 employees of a University General Hospital stratified by gender, age, and job position.RESULTS: Hypertension prevalence was 26% (62% of these reported being aware of their hypertension and 38% were unaware but had systolic/diastolic blood pressures of ≥140 and/or ≥90 mm Hg at the moment of the measurement). Of those who were aware of having hypertension, 51% were found to be hypertensive at the moment of the measurement. The prevalence was found to be 17%, 23%, and 29% (P <.05) in physicians, nursing staff, and "others", respectively. The univariate analysis showed a significant odds ratio for the male gender, age ≥50 years, work unit being the Institute of Radiology and the Administration Building, educational level ≤elementary school, length of work ≥10 years, and body mass index ≥30 kg/m 2 . The multivariate logistic regression model revealed a statistically significant association of hypertension with the following variables: gender, age, skin color, family income, and body mass index.CONCLUSIONS: Hypertension prevalence was high, mainly in those who were not physicians or members of the nursing staff. High-risk groups (obese, non-white, men, low family income) should be better advised of prevention and early diagnosis of hypertension by means of special programs.

The aim of this study was to verify the gender difference in sudden cardiovascular death, mainly comparing brain infarction and hemorrhagic stroke. We analyzed 970 autopsy cases from a total of 3,802 nonviolent deaths (448 considered as sudden deaths, 296 undetermined, and 226 non-sudden deaths) including patients aged 30–69 years. All cardiovascular diseases were responsible for 69% of sudden deaths, and all types of stroke for only 14%. The proportions of sudden death for all cardiovascular diseases, coronary heart disease and ischemic stroke deaths were similar for both sexes. However, sudden deaths due to all types of stroke (women 20.0%; men 11.1%; p = 0.012) and hemorrhagic stroke (women 15.6%; men 7.9%; p = 0.019) were significantly more frequent among women when compared to men, the main cause being subarachnoid hemorrhage (women 5.6%; men 1.0%; p = 0.011). Hemorrhagic stroke deaths were usually sudden deaths among women.