Hypertension and its Associated Risk Factors Detected through Portable Mobile Lab at PHC, Najafgarh, Delhi

Introduction: Hypertension (HTN) is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disorders and stroke, which are the leading cause of mortality in India. Its detection is necessary to prevent complications particularly in rural and remote areas. Due to shortage of professional human resources, alternative methods are needed. Objectives: To detect prevalence of hypertension and its associated risk factors in the rural population of Delhi through an innovative and cost-effective portable mobile lab. Materials and Methods: It was a cross-sectional study conducted at the Rural Health Training Centre (RHTC) Najafgarh, Delhi among 500 adult subjects aged 18 years and above who were attending the outpatient department (OPD). WHO STEPS approach was used to collect data. Lipid profile and blood sugar was measured along with BP and BMI. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 16. p-value less than 0.05 was considered as significant. Results: The prevalence rate of hypertension was 20.2% among study subjects. Hypertension was significantly higher in individuals more than 55 years than those less than 55 years. Hypertension was higher in those who were physically inactive, smokers, alcohol & tobacco users in comparison of non-users. Subjects with hypertension had significantly raised level of triglyceride, total cholesterol and blood sugar. Conclusion: Portable mobile lab was useful tool to detect hypertension and its risk factors. Prevalence of Hypertension was high in rural areas in Delhi. Age, high blood sugar, triglycerides and cholesterol levels were significantly associated with hypertension.