Epidemiological survey of hypertension among middle-aged and elderly adults in Anhui Province

Abstract

To understand and analyze the prevalence and treatment of hypertension among residents aged 45 years and older in northern and southern Anhui Province to provide an opportunity to improve awareness, taking into account and standardizing hypertension management. Using a stratified cluster random sampling method, Anhui Province was divided into northern and southern Anhui regions using the Yangtze River as the boundary. The prevalence rate, awareness rate, treatment rate, control rate, related risk factors and complications of hypertension in the community population aged ≥ 45 years in Anhui Province were investigated using a questionnaire survey and a physical examination. The chi-square test was used to analyze the regional differences in hypertension prevalence, awareness, treatment and control rates. Weighted logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors for hypertension. A total of 1331 residents aged ≥ 45 years were included. The results showed that the overall prevalence of hypertension in the Anhui Province population aged ≥ 45 years was 47.48% (50.73% in northern Anhui and 43.21% in southern Anhui), and the prevalence of hypertension in northern Anhui was higher than that in southern Anhui. The survey showed that the overall hypertension awareness rate in Anhui Province was 59.67%, the hypertension treatment rate was 44.46%, and the hypertension control rate was 30.70%. The differences between the 2 regions was statistically significant. The hypertension awareness, treatment and control rates in southern Anhui were higher than those in northern Anhui (P < .05). The risk factors for hypertension were older age, rural residence, male, obesity, low education level, high salt diet, smoking, excessive drinking, poor sleep, insufficient exercise, a family history of hypertension, a history of diabetes, and a history of hyperlipidemia. The most common complication of hypertension in middle-aged and elderly people in Anhui Province was cerebrovascular disease, followed by cardiovascular disease. Calcium channel blockers were the most commonly used antihypertensive drugs in middle-aged and elderly people in Anhui Province, followed by angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker receptor antagonists.

Network analysis of depression and anxiety symptoms and their associations with life satisfaction among Chinese hypertensive older adults: a cross-sectional study

“…A population-based cohort study in Sweden found that people with hypertension had higher nervousness scores compared to normal people ( 44 ). To our knowledge, older adults with hypertension are inherently considered a vulnerable population, and the presence of physical complications from hypertension and concerns about future life can exacerbate their feelings of nervousness ( 5 ), which may eventually lead to depression, anxiety, and other psychological health issues ( 6 ). In addition, both exploratory factor analysis studies and network analysis studies have discovered that nervousness is an important transdiagnostic symptom associated not only with anxiety but also with depression ( 19 , 42 , 45 ).…”

“…Older adults with hypertension inherently have a more delicate constitution compared to their healthier counterparts. If they fail to maintain regular antihypertensive treatment, they are more prone to severe complications such as coronary heart disease, heart failure, cerebral infarction, or cerebral hemorrhage ( 5 ). The physical complications and uncertainty about future health could potentially impose substantial psychological stress on older adults afflicted with hypertension, leading them to grapple with psychological afflictions.…”

“…Many individuals diagnosed with hypertension require lifelong medication. Failure to take medication regularly can easily exacerbate the severity of physical symptoms and may lead to complications of hypertension, which can cause some psychological stress and negative emotions in the patients ( 5 , 9 ). Moreover, the physiological changes and increased emotional vulnerability associated with the aging process in the older adults, along with the influence of hypertension, contribute to a higher prevalence of depression ( 9 ).…”