Abstract

Background: Hypertension is considered a chronic disorder of interest owing to its involvement in the generation of coro- nary heart disease, stroke, and other vascular complications. It is one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular mortality, which accounts for 20%–50% of all deaths and will be the prime cause of morbidity by 2020 in India.
Objective: To assess the prevalence of hypertension among adults aged 18–59 years residing at rural community of Dakshina Kannada and study the correlates of hypertension among adults.
Materials and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out in the age group of 18–59 years to estimate the prevalence of hypertension and its risk factors among the residents of the rural community. A total of 710 study subjects were selected. A pretested questionnaire was used to collect data on sociodemographic profiles and dietary patterns. Anthropometric measurements were taken using the standard methodology. The blood pressure was assessed and classified using JNC 7 criteria Result: The overall prevalence of hypertension among adults was 43.6%, and it was higher in female subjects. The maximum prevalence of hypertension was found among the age group of 50–59 years (male subjects, 60.2%, and female subjects, 65.4%). The study participants with diabetes showed 1.59 times higher risk than nondiabetic participants. Conclusion: The rates of hypertension in the rural community under study are similar to those seen in high-income countries and in urban India. Hence, there is a need for primordial prevention efforts on large scale.