Population based study of hypertension among the elderly in northern India

The study was conducted in the urban and rural areas of Chandigarh during 1998–1999 among 362 elderly subjects above 65 y of age. The sample, selected by stratified random technique, covered a population of 7937 family members in 1882 houses. Methodology comprised of interviews, clinical examination and laboratory investigations such as ECG. The study revealed that 210 (58%) of the elderly were hypertensives. Of the hypertensives, only 39% are on medication. Fewer calories were consumed by the hypertensives. Further, 82.4% of the obese subjects were hypertensives as compared to 52.4% of the non-obese subjects (P<0.001). Only 56 subjects (27.6%) were both diabetic and hypertensive. One third of the elderly had some abnormality in ECG revealing associated coronary heart disease. Forty subjects (11.05%) had complications such as MI and stroke. The prevalence of complications was slightly higher (11.9%) in the hypertensives as compared to the non-hypertensives (9.9%). Thus health education campaigns should be started to increase awareness regarding the risk factors and bring about changes in lifestyle for the control of hypertension and reduction of its complications.