PREVALENCE AND SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF HYPERTENSIVE INDIVIDUALS-REPORT OF A 3YR- MMM HYPERTENSION SURVEILLANCE AT LASUTH, IKEJA.

BACKGROUND. Hypertension is the most common cardiovascular disease worldwide and is responsible for most cardiovascular disease-related deaths globally. As part of a yearly MAY MEASUREMENT MONTH (MMM) hypertension awareness programme organised globally by the WHO in conjunction with the International Society of Hypertension and the Nigerian chapter, we carried out hypertension awareness programme within and outside the immediate environs of LASUTH, in the months of MAY 2017, 2018, and 2019 respectively. The study was aimed at evaluating the prevalence, awareness and socio-demographic risk profile among the participants  METHODS A total of 541 subjects consisting of 260 males and 281 females participated in the programme. 146 individuals were involved in 2017, 183 in 2018 and 212 in 2019. Standardized Questionnaires that was prepared by the ISH for the MMM programme globally, was administered to each participant. Hypertension was defined as blood pressure (BP) ≥140/90 mmHg or regular use of BP-lowering medication. Prevalence was represented in both discrete numbers and percentages and subjected to chi-square analyses were applicable. The significant P value was set at <0.05. RESULTS A total of 541 individuals consisting of 260 males and 281 females with a mean age of 45.96±11.1 participated in the programme. Two hundred and forty-five (45.3%) out of the 541 participants were found to be hypertensive. One hundred and ten of the 245 hypertensive subjects (44.9%) had been on antihypertensive medication out of which 44 (40%), were controlled on medication. Hypertensive subjects were more likely to be known Diabetic and obese compared to their non-hypertensive counterparts (p=0.057 and p=0.001 respectively). However, there was no significant difference in the prevalence of alcohol intake and cigarette smoking in the hypertensive compared to non-hypertensive individuals. CONCLUSION THE study reported a relatively high prevalence of hypertension among the participants out of which, only 44-9% were on anti-hypertensive medication, of which 40% were controlled on their antihypertensive medications. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of alcohol intake or cigarette smoking in the hypertensive compared to the non-hypertensive individuals.