Blood Pressure Levels in Turkish Adults: Initial Trend to Improved Blood Pressure Control

Blood pressure (BP) was measured in 2389 subjects in the survey 2001/02 of the cohort of the Turkish Adult Risk Factor Study, and trends were studied after sex and age-group stratification. Comprised therein and similarly studied were 1782 identical men and women (mean age 52.2±12.4) followed up in the preceding 4 years. When age was kept constant, overall net mean BP in the male sample population declined by 3.8/2.3 mmHg and diastolic pressure in women by 1.5 mmHg. No significant difference was observed in systolic BP among women. These changes were accompanied by an increase of 0.6 kg/m2 in body mass index in both genders. The prevalence of hypertension, defined as being on antihypertensive medication, or displaying a blood pressure ?140 and/or ?90 mmHg, was 36% in men and 49% in women, indicating the existence of 12 million hypertensive Turkish adults. Forty-eight % of them were under drug treatment, and achieved rate of hypertension control rose to 28% as defined by keeping BP at normal levels. Thus antihypertensive treatment among Turks continued to become more widespread and effective. Among participants not subjected to antihypertensive medication, a net decline by approximately 2 mmHg was noted in systolic and diastolic pressures in men. In a logistic regression analysis for prevalent CHD, systolic BP proved to be again a determinant independent from age. We concluded that the trend of rising mean BP in Turkish adults observed in the 1990s seems to have halted in women and probably reversed in men. Though this positive development needs confirmation in the near future, it is believed that the more widespread use and effectiveness of antihypertensive drug treatment and the newly growing health-consciousness of the people are underlying it. Currently, each person out of every 3 men and 4 women using antihypertensive drugs keeps the BP under control.