April | 2013 | IHDN-Ghana Hypertension Research Project

Self Reported Hypertension in the US

This weeks MMWR reported on self-reported hypertension and use of antihypertensive medications among US adults between 2005 and 2009. Using data collected from the national BRFSS telephone survey, it was identified that there was a small but significant increase in self-reported hypertension in the US. As the article mentions, this is likely a reflection of increased awareness, a good thing, and not an increase in true prevalence. Further, there was a small increase in the use of antihypertensive medication among adults reporting hypertension. Most interesting is the variability in hypertension and medication use across the country.

It makes me wonder, if this map was of Ghana, how would it look? What areas would have the highest rates? The coastal areas? The urbanized regions? Based on the limited data that is available, I think that hypertension would be prevalent through out the country. We have shown that it is surprisingly prevalent (36%) in southeastern Ghana and studies from the Ashanti region report a prevalence of 28-29%.

The figure shows age-adjusted prevalence of self-reported hypertension among adults and the proportion of those participants reporting use of antihypertensive medication during 2009, by state, according to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. In 2009, the prevalence of self-reported hypertension was, in general, higher in southern states and lower in western states.