High Blood Pressure: prevalence
Table 1 and Chart 1 show estimates of the prevalence of high blood pressure for adults aged 16 years and over, from the 2003 Scottish Health Survey. It includes all respondents with a valid blood pressure reading and data on medication in 2003.
The data show that around a third of the adult population have high blood pressure - with about 20% of the adult population reported as having high blood pressure and not on treatment. 12% of men and 16% of women are on treatment for high blood pressure. About half of those on treatment had a normal blood pressure in this survey.
Prevalence increases with age such that more than three quarters of the population aged over 75 have high blood pressure, of which just over half are not being treated.
Table 1: Prevalence of high blood pressure in the population of Scotland, by age
| Age (years) | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-54 | 55-64 | 65-74 | 75+ | ||
| Men | ||||||||
| Normotensive | 88.4% | 85.5% | 79.2% | 73.1% | 48.4% | 39.4% | 23.0% | 67.0% |
| Hypertensive controlled | 0.7% | - | 2.5% | 4.0% | 13.7% | 13.7% | 13.5% | 5.9% |
| Hypertensive uncontrolled | - | 0.3% | 0.5% | 5.7% | 7.3% | 17.3% | 29.1% | 6.3% |
| Hypertensive untreated | 10.9% | 14.2% | 17.9% | 17.1% | 30.6% | 29.6% | 34.5% | 20.7% |
| All with high blood pressure | 11.9% | 14.8% | 20.8% | 27.1% | 51.4% | 60.4% | 77.0% | 33.0% |
| Women | ||||||||
| Normotensive | 98.1% | 94.5% | 83.4% | 72.4% | 50.9% | 31.9% | 22.8% | 67.3% |
| Hypertensive controlled | - | - | 1.6% | 6.4% | 12.6% | 18.6% | 15.3% | 7.2% |
| Hypertensive uncontrolled | - | - | 0.9% | 3.8% | 12.6% | 22.5% | 31.7% | 9.0% |
| Hypertensive untreated | 1.9% | 5.5% | 14.1% | 17.4% | 23.8% | 27.0% | 30.2% | 16.6% |
| All with high blood pressure | 1.9% | 5.5% | 16.6% | 27.4% | 49.1% | 68.1% | 77.2% | 32.7% |
Source: Scottish Health Survey 2003
Normotensive means systolic blood pressure <= 140 mmHg, and diastolic <=90 mmHg
Hypertensive means systolic blood pressure > 140 mmHg, or diastolic > 90 mmHg (currently or previously)
Controlled means on treatment and systolic blood pressure <= 140 mmHg, and diastolic <=90 mmHg
Untreated means not on treatment
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