Arterial hypertension in urban Africa: an epidemiological study on a representative sample of Dakar inhabitants in Senegal.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the prevalence and risk markers of arterial hypertension in the context of a rapidly growing urbanization in Africa.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study was performed on a representative sample of inhabitants of Pikine, an urban suburb of Dakar, Senegal.

METHODS

Blood pressure was measured by properly trained field workers at subject homes. A total of 2580 individuals were included, aged > or = to 15 years and with a duration of residence > or = 2 months. Complete data including risk markers were obtained for 2300 subjects.

RESULTS

The prevalence of hypertension (World Health Organization criteria) was found to be 10.4%. Due to the young age of the population, nearly half of the cases of moderate-to-severe hypertension were observed in middle-aged subjects. Risk markers of hypertension were age and obesity in both sexes: illiterate and multiparous women also had a higher prevalence of hypertension. Awareness of hypertension was infrequent among the hypertensive subjects: of the 189 subjects who had been labelled hypertensive, 10 were treated with antihypertensive therapy but 111 had normal blood pressure levels without any treatment, suggesting poor-quality prior diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Hypertension was found to be frequent in this urban African population. These findings emphasize the need for improvement in the management of hypertension, focusing upon the high-risk groups.