Longitudinal trends in cardiovascular mortality and blood pressure levels, prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension in the Czech population from 1985 to 2007/2008.

OBJECTIVES: To assess longitudinal trends in cardiovascular mortality and population mean blood pressure, prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension in a representative Czech population sample from 1985 to 2007/2008. METHODS: Source data on mortality rates were provided by the Czech Statistical Office and further processed by the Institute for Health Information and Statistics of the Czech Republic. Six independent cross-sectional population surveys were conducted in 1985, 1988, 1992, 1997/1998, 2000/2001, and 2007/2008 with randomly selected men and women aged 25-64 years and resident in six districts of the Czech Republic (Praha-východ, Benesov, Pardubice, Chrudim, Cheb, and Jindrichuv Hradec). The total number of participants was 13 972. RESULTS: Since 1985, there has been a significant continuous, almost linear decline in standardized total, cardiovascular disease, ischemic heart disease, and stroke mortality (P < 0.001).There was a significant downward trend in the population mean SBP (from 133.6 ± 20.2 to 129.5 ± 18.5 mmHg; P < 0.001) and DBP (from 84.1 ± 11.3 to 82.5 ± 10.0 mmHg; P < 0.001) from 1985 to 2007/2008. This was associated with a significant decrease in the prevalence of hypertension only in women (from 42.5 to 37.2%; P < 0.001). Awareness of hypertension increased in both sexes (men, from 41.4 to 68.4%; women, from 58.9 to 71.4%; both P < 0.001) as did the number of individuals on antihypertensive medication (men, from 21.1 to 58.2%, women: from 38.9 to 58.9%; both P < 0.001). Control of hypertension improved significantly (from 3.9 to 24.6%) over the same period. CONCLUSION: The reduction in population blood pressure and improved hypertension control may have contributed substantially to the decrease in cardiovascular disease mortality in the Czech Republic.

Trends in blood pressure levels, prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension in the Czech population from 1985 to 2000/01.

OBJECTIVE: To assess trends in blood pressure (BP) levels, prevalence, awareness, and control of hypertension in the Czech population from 1985 to 2000/01. DESIGN: Five independent cross-sectional population surveys conducted in 1985, 1988, 1992, 1997/98, and 2000/01. SETTING: Six, mostly rural, districts of the Czech Republic (Praha-východ, Benesov, Pardubice, Chrudim, Cheb, and Jindrichuv Hradec). PARTICIPANTS: Men and women aged 25-64 years randomly selected from six districts using the National Population Register/General Health Insurance Company Register (covering, by law, all citizens). The total number of participants was 11 726. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We assessed the mean systolic BP, diastolic BP and pulse pressure, prevalence of hypertension (systolic BP > or = 140 mmHg and/or diastolic BP > or = 90 mmHg, or current treatment with antihypertensive drugs), awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension. RESULTS: Mean systolic BP, diastolic BP, and pulse pressure decreased significantly over a period of 15/16 years. This was associated with a significant decrease in the prevalence of hypertension (from 47.1 to 39.1%, P < 0.001) and with an increase in its awareness (from 49.5 to 67.2%, P < 0.001), use of antihypertensive medication (from 29.3 to 49.3%, P < 0.001), and hypertension control (from 3.9 to 17.0%, P < 0.001). Despite having lower BP values and prevalence of hypertension, females showed higher awareness of the disease, and were more frequently taking antihypertensive medication, and their hypertension was better controlled. CONCLUSION: The reduction in population BP and improved control of hypertension may have contributed to the decrease in cerebrovascular and coronary heart disease mortality in the Czech Republic. The positive longitudinal changes seen in the MONICA regions need not necessarily reflect the situation in the country as a whole. The situation is far from being optimal; a major problem is inadequate treatment of hypertension