Predictors Of Hypertension Control In A Suburban Hypertensive Population

Abstract

Background and purpose: Hypertension is a preventable disease, provided certain cardiovascular behavioral factors are altered. Hence, there is dearth of physical activity and hypertension management of recent times. We enumerated various factors of hypertension control in patients from one hospital located in a suburban area of a south Indian metropolitan city. Methods: A cross-sectional hospital-based survey of 448 hypertensive patients (≥ 140/90 mm of Hg) on antihypertensive medications were recruited. To determine the behavioural factors associated with blood pressure control, multivariate logistic regression analysis (MLRA) were applied.  Results: MLRA revealed that aerobic physical activity once per week (OR = 3.21, 95% Cl: 1.07 – 9.64, p = 0.04), more than twice a week (OR = 4.07, 95% Cl: 1.32 – 12.51, p = 0.01) when compared with daily exercise and maintenance of weight reduction through aerobic physical activity (OR = 3.65, 95% Cl: 1.10 – 12.15, p = 0.04) when compared to diet control are behavioural factors that independently associated with the control of hypertension.  Conclusion: Our study concluded that, aerobic physical activity maintains optimal blood pressure among the study population. Henceforth, hypertensive patients could be encouraged by the physicians, to include some sort of physical activity in their daily routine along with antihypertensive drugs to maintain optimal blood pressure and to prevent complications.