Hypertension and its associated risks among Singapore elderly residential population

Background

Studies have shown hypertension to be a common health problem among the elderly. The prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension, along with their sociodemographic and health-related correlates were established in a national cross-sectional epidemiological study of the elderly in Singapore. The associations between hypertension and select medical risks were also investigated.

Methods

Data was collected from 2488 randomly selected elderly (≥ 60 years) as part of the Well-being of the Singapore Elderly (WiSE) study that involved face-to-face surveys and physical examination. Sitting blood pressure (BP) was measured twice with a 1 minute interval and averaged. Hypertension was defined by a systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≥ 140 mmHg, and/or a diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥ 90 mmHg, and/or current treatment with anti-hypertensive medication.

Results

The prevalence of hypertension in this population was 74.1%. The rate of hypertension was associated with older age, lower education, and higher body mass index (BMI). Those who were Malay, retired and very physically active were more likely to be unaware of being hypertensive. An age of ≥85 years, being unemployed, widowed or divorced/separated, and being a non-smoker were associated with uncontrolled hypertension. Those with hypertension were also more likely to report a diagnosis of diabetes.

Conclusion

The proportion of elderly with hypertension is high in this Asian population. What is of concern is the substantial proportion of undetected cases. This highlights the need for effective health screening among the elderly. Optimal control of BP in those diagnosed with hypertension is also a cause for concern, as identified in our study.