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Increased Risk of Hypertension in Young Adults in Southwest China: Impact of the 2017 ACC/AHA High Blood Pressure Guideline

Current Hypertension Reports volume 21, Article number: 21 (2019) Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose of Review

To examine the impact of the new 2017 ACC/AHA hypertension guideline on the prevalence of hypertension, its constituent ratio, and their associated factors in southwest China.

Recent Findings

A total of 14,220 permanent residents ≥ 18 years were enrolled in this survey. According to the 2017 ACC/AHA hypertension guideline, the hypertension prevalence was substantially increased (46.9% vs. 24.5%); consistent across different age and gender groups, while the hypertension awareness (23.8% vs. 45.6%); treatment (18.6% vs. 35.5%); control (2.3% vs. 11.2%); and control among treatment (9.6% vs. 24.0%) patients were decreased in southwest of China. In our cohort, 31.1% participants were newly diagnosed as hypertension. Young adults accounted considerable proportion in this newly diagnosed hypertension population. The proportion of young hypertensive individuals substantially increased, whereas those of the older hypertensive subjects decreased. Among the hypertensive subjects aged ≥ 65 years undergoing treatment, 90% of the elderly subjects were not eligible for hypertension control and 32.5% have systolic blood pressure control at 130–149 mmHg, and thus need to intensify antihypertensive treatment according to 2017 ACC/AHA hypertension guideline. Smoking, drinking, body fat percentage, and body mass index were considered the factors associated with hypertension according to the Chinese hypertension guideline but not in the 2017 ACC/AHA hypertension guideline.

Summary

The adoption of the 2017 ACC/AHA hypertension guideline will substantially increase hypertension prevalence in southwest of China. The new definition of hypertension implies that more young adults will likely suffer from high cardiovascular risks, while additional one third of elder hypertensive subjects will likely need intensified antihypertension treatments.

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Author information

Author notes

  1. Dan Li and Xiaofang Zeng contributed equally to this work.

Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China

    Dan Li, Xiaofang Zeng, Yi Huang, Han Lei, Nan Zhang & Wei Huang

  2. Public Health School of Chongqing Medical University Chongqing, Chongqing, China

    Ge Li

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  1. Dan Li
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  7. Wei Huang
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Correspondence to Wei Huang.

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Conflict of Interest

This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University and all subjects signed informed consent for data collection and analyses prior to participation.

Dan Li, Xiaofang Zeng, Yi Huang, Han Lei, Ge Li, Nan Zhang, and Wei Huang declare that they no conflicts of interest.

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Li, D., Zeng, X., Huang, Y. et al. Increased Risk of Hypertension in Young Adults in Southwest China: Impact of the 2017 ACC/AHA High Blood Pressure Guideline. Curr Hypertens Rep 21, 21 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11906-019-0926-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11906-019-0926-y

Keywords

  • Hypertension
  • Prevalence
  • Control rate
  • 2017 ACC/AHA hypertension guideline
  • Chinese hypertension guideline