Prevalence of prehypertension and hypertension in a Korean population: Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey 2001

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of prehypertension and hypertension, and their association with the risk factors in a Korean population. DESIGN: The Korean Nation Health and Nutrition Survey 2001, a cross-sectional survey, was a nationally representative survey in which a stratified multistage sampling design was used. METHODS: Data from a comprehensive questionnaire, together with a physical examination and blood sample, were obtained from 6074 Korean adults (2620 men and 3454 women) aged ≥ 20 years, and analysed. RESULTS: The estimated age-adjusted prevalence of hypertension and prehypertension was 22.9% (26.9% in men, 20.5% in women) and 31.6% (41.9% in men, 25.9% in women), respectively, in the Korean population according to Joint National Committee 7 criteria. Multivariate analysis revealed that age, gender, body mass index, fasting plasma glucose, total-cholesterol and alcohol consumption were significantly associated with hypertension. Overall, only 30.2% of the hypertensive individuals had been previously diagnosed. Furthermore, 22.9% of the hypertensive individuals were being treated with antihypertensive medication, but only 10.7% had their blood pressure adequately controlled. The rates of awareness, treatment and control were higher for the women than for the men, and these rates increased with age. CONCLUSION: Hypertension and prehypertension are common in Korea, and more than one-half of the hypertensive patients have not been diagnosed. These results place great emphasis on the urgent need for a public health program to improve the detection, prevention and treatment of hypertension and prehypertension.