Hypertension: its prevalence and population-attributable fraction for mortality from cardiovascular disease in the Asia-Pacific region

J Hypertens. 2007 Jan;25(1):73-9. doi: 10.1097/HJH.0b013e328010775f.

Abstract

Objective: About half of the world's burden of cardiovascular disease is carried by countries in the Asia-Pacific region. This study aimed to quantify the contribution of hypertension to cardiovascular diseases (CVD) at the country level, by calculating the sex-specific, population-attributable fractions (PAFs) for fatal ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and stroke (haemorrhagic and ischaemic) for the World Health Organization Western Pacific and South-east Asian regions.

Methods: The most recent sex-specific prevalence data on hypertension were sought. Age-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) estimates for fatal IHD and stroke associated with hypertension were obtained using Cox analyses of individual participant cohort data from 600,000 adult participants in the Asia-Pacific Cohort Studies Collaboration. HR estimates and prevalence were then used to calculate sex-specific PAFs for fatal IHD and stroke, by country.

Results: In 15 countries with available data, the prevalence of hypertension ranged from 5-47% in men and from 7-38% in women. Overall, the fraction of IHD attributable to hypertension ranged from 4-28% in men and from 8-39% in women. Corresponding ranges for haemorrhagic stroke were 18-66% and 15-49%, and for ischaemic stroke were 8-44% and 12-45%.

Conclusions: In the Asia-Pacific region, up to 66% of some subtypes of CVD can be attributed to hypertension, underscoring the immense impact that blood pressure- lowering strategies could have in this populous region.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Asia, Southeastern / epidemiology
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / ethnology
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / etiology
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / mortality
  • Cohort Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypertension / complications
  • Hypertension / epidemiology*
  • Hypertension / ethnology
  • Hypertension / mortality
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mortality / trends
  • Myocardial Ischemia / epidemiology
  • Pacific Islands / epidemiology
  • Population Groups / statistics & numerical data*
  • Prevalence
  • Proportional Hazards Models
  • Research Design
  • Risk Factors
  • Sex Characteristics
  • Sex Distribution
  • Sex Factors
  • Stroke / epidemiology*
  • Stroke / ethnology
  • Stroke / etiology
  • Stroke / mortality