Prevalence, Awareness, Treatment, Control, and Related Factors of Hypertension among Tajik Nomads Living in Pamirs at High Altitude

Abstract

Background. Hypertension is a global problem, for which high-altitude residents exhibit higher burden. Hypertension in Tajik nomads from Pamirs with an average altitude above 4000 m remains less studied. We aimed to determine the prevalence, awareness, treatment, control, and risk factors associated with hypertension among Tajik population in Pamirs. Methods. A cross-sectional survey was conducted between August and September 2015 using stratified three-stage random sampling in Taxkorgan county, Pamirs, China. Hypertension is defined as mean systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP) ≥140/90 mmHg and/or taking antihypertensive medication within the past two weeks. The prevalence (SBP ≥130 or DBP ≥80 mmHg) was also estimated using the 2017 American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) High Blood Pressure Guideline. The awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension and associated factors were evaluated. Results. Totally, 797 subjects aged ≥18 years were enrolled with 46.3% men and 88.8% nomads with the mean age of 42.3 ± 15.2 years. The prevalence of hypertension was 24.2% (140/90 mmHg), and the prevalence was as high as 40.3%, based on the 2017 ACC/AHA guideline. Overall awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension were 52.8%, 40.9%, and 9.3%, respectively. In multivariate logistic regression, BMI ≥24.0 kg/m2 (OR: 2.41, 95% CI: 1.44–4.04) was a risk factor for prehypertension, and age ≥60 years (OR: 2.04, 95% CI: 1.15–3.61), BMI ≥24.0 kg/m2 (OR: 2.04, 95% CI: 1.15–3.61), and abdominal obesity (OR: 1.87, 95% CI: 1.09–3.22) were risk factors for hypertension. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers were the most commonly used antihypertensive medication (45.4%) as monotherapy, and 13.6% of treated hypertensive patients used two drugs. Conclusions. There is a considerable prevalence of hypertension with low awareness, treatment, and control rates among Tajik nomads in Pamirs, where health programs improving the hypertension status are urgently needed, with the excess weight loss as a strategy.

Barriers to Access to Treatment for Hypertensive Patients in Primary Health Care of Less Developed Northwest China: A Predictive Nomogram

“…With the increase in geographical altitude, the population will become sparse, the style of living and production will become more singular, and health needs and access to health care become considerable challenges in high-altitude regions [33,34]. e presence of hypertension is common in residents living in high-altitude regions [35,36] and requires pharmacological therapy in the majority of cases in order to manage them properly. Some studies show that the prevalence of polypharmacy and primary health care is associated with the prevalence of chronic diseases [37,38].…”

Awareness, Treatment, and Control of Hypertension Among 10663 Adults in Kherameh: A Population-Based Study

“…In addition, 78% of the hypertensive patients and 97% of those who were aware of their disease were treated. In other studies, these measures were found to be 40.9% (24) and 51.9% (25), respectively.…”