Prevalence of hypertension at high altitude: cross-sectional survey in Ladakh, Northern India 2007-2011.
BMJ Open
; 5(4): e007026, 2015 Apr 20.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-25897026
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
Prevalence of hypertension was examined in a widely dispersed (45 110 km(2)) representative group of Ladakhi in Northern India. The influence of hypoxic environment of wide-ranged altitude (2600-4900 m) and lifestyle change on hypertension was studied.METHODS:
2800 participants (age 20-94â years) were enrolled. Systolic blood pressure ≥140â mmâ Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure of ≥90â mmâ Hg and/or taking current anti-hypertensive medicine was defined as hypertension. Height and weight for body mass index and SpO2 were examined. The rural population comprised six subdivisions with a distinct altitude, dietary and occupational pattern. Participants in the urban area of Leh consist of two groups, that is, migrants settled in Leh from the Changthang nomadic area, and dwellers born in Leh. The prevalence of hypertension in the two groups was compared with that in the farmers and nomads in rural areas. The effects of ageing, hypoxia, dwelling at high altitude, obesity, modernised occupation, dwelling in an urban area, and rural-to-urban migration to hypertension were analysed by multiple logistic regression.RESULTS:
The prevalence of hypertension was 37.0% in all participants and highest in migrants settled in Leh (48.3%), followed by dwellers born in Leh town (41.1%) compared with those in rural areas (33.5). The prevalence of hypertension in nomads (all 27.7%, Tibetan/Ladakhi 19.7/31.9%)) living at higher altitude (4000-4900â m) was relatively low. The associated factors with hypertension were ageing, overweight, dwelling at higher altitude, engagement in modernised sedentary occupations, dwelling in urban areas, and rural-to-urban migration. The effects of lifestyle change and dwelling at high altitude were independently associated with hypertension by multivariate analysis adjusted with confounding factors.CONCLUSIONS:
Socioeconomic and cultural factors play a big role with the effect of high altitude itself on high prevalence of hypertension in highlanders in Ladakh.Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Bases de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Migrantes
/
Emigración e Inmigración
/
Altitud
/
Conducta Sedentaria
/
Hipertensión
/
Hipoxia
/
Obesidad
Tipo de estudio:
Etiology_studies
/
Observational_studies
/
Prevalence_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Límite:
Adult
/
Aged
/
Aged80
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
País/Región como asunto:
Asia
Idioma:
En
Revista:
BMJ Open
Año:
2015
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
India