Affiliations 

  • 1 M Mafauzy, FRCP. Department of Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kota Bharu, Kelantan
  • 2 N Mokhtar, MD. Department of Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kota Bharu, Kelantan
  • 3 W B Wan Mohamad, FRCP. Department of Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kota Bharu, Kelantan
Med J Malaysia, 2003 Oct;58(4):556-64.
PMID: 15190632

Abstract

Two thousand five hundred and eight subjects from the state of Kelantan in North-East Peninsular Malaysia were included in this study to determine the prevalence of hypertension and their association with cardiovascular risk factors. The overall prevalence of hypertension was 13.9%. There was no difference in the prevalence of hypertension between the males and females. The prevalence increased with age--the highest being in those above 70-years old. Subjects with hypertension also had a higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus (19.0%), obesity (39.4%) and hypercholesterolaemia (70.7%) than non-hypertensive subjects. Of the hypertensive subjects, 83.3% had 1 other risk factor for cardiovascular disease, 66.7% had 2 other risk factors and 16.7% had more than 2 risk factors. Other than age, body mass index, plasma glucose, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol, hypertensive subjects also had a higher mean serum urea, creatinine, uric acid and triglyceride than non-hypertensive subjects. In conclusion, hypertension is a common disease in this area and is associated with multiple risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The prevalence is likely to increase in the near future with increasing affluence and becoming a major health problem.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.