Clinical characteristics of hypertension among victims in temporary shield district after Wenchuan earthquake in China

X.-C. Sun, X.-F. Zhou, S. Chen, Y.-X. Liu, Y.-J. Wang, W. Zhang, Y.-C. Gao

Geriatrics Department, Sichuan Provincial Hospital, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, China. xfzhou028@163.com

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• Cardiology

AIM: The frequency of hypertension events increases after a strong stress, but the mechanism has not been fully investigated. This study aimed to investigate its prevalence and risk factors after the Wenchuan earthquake (8.0 on the Richter scale), so as to provide a scientific basis for the prevention of hypertension in natural disasters or unforeseen accidents.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Victims staying in temporary shelter for more than 1 year between March to May 2009 were randomly selected by multi-stage stratified cluster sampling method. And predetermined questionnaire survey and physical examination were carried out. In this study, all participants signed informed consent form.

RESULTS: A total of 3230 victims aged over 20 years participated in this study, and the prevalence rate of hypertension among those victims was 24.08% (778/3230), most of whom had first-level hypertension; and the standardized rate was 18.44%. Moreover, the rates of hypertension awareness, dosing and controlling was only 34.58%, 53.43% and 17.84%, respectively. Among this cohort, the prevalence rate of hypertension increased with age (p < 0.01), but its distribution was similar between male and female victims (25.0% versus 23.58, p > 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that age, family history of hypertension, sleep quality, waist-to-hip ratio, body mass index and blood glucose level were risk factors of earthquake-induced hypertension among victims in temporary shield district, but mental stress was not.

CONCLUSIONS: Though mental stress was not a risk factor of hypertension in this study, earthquake-induced hypertension should not be ignored. For victims after earthquake, the education of the prevention and treatment of hypertension should be strengthened.

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