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Hypertension prevalence and blood pressure trends in 88 653 subjects in Mumbai, India

Journal of Human Hypertension volume 18, pages 907–910 (2004)Cite this article

Dear Sir,

High blood pressure (BP) is an important public health problem in India. Recent studies have shown a high prevalence of hypertension among adults in both urban and rural areas.1 According to the older World Health Organisation (WHO) criteria (BP ⩾160/ ⩾95 mmHg), studies in Indian urban populations in 1950s showed hypertension prevalence as 1–3%. Subsequent studies showed a steadily increasing trend in hypertension prevalence and reports in the late 1980s and early 1990s showed that the prevalence was more than 10%.2 The prevalence of hypertension defined by the Fifth United States Joint National Committee (JNC-V) criteria (⩾140/90) also shows a steep increase in urban subjects.1, 3 The prevalence also increased in rural populations although the increase is not as steep as in the urban subjects.2 Studies in rural Bombay and Delhi in the late 1950s reported hypertension (BP⩾160/95 mmHg) prevalence of 0.5–1.0%, while studies in the 1990s reported hypertension in 3.5–7.0% adults.2 Cause of this increase in hypertension is postulated as westernisation of traditional Indian communities.2 Studies among the less acculturated (nonwesternised) Indian tribal and rural populations show only a small increase in hypertension prevalence, while among the urban populations who are exposed to the stress of acculturation and have adopted unhealthy lifestyles, the hypertension prevalence rates have increased by more than five times in the last 50 years.1 Scanty recent data exist regarding the prevalence of hypertension in large Indian metropolitan cities where the stress of acculturation is maximum.1, 2, 3, 4

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Epidemiology Unit, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai

    P C Gupta

  2. Department of Medicine, Monilek Hospital and Research Centre, Jaipur

    R Gupta

  3. Epidemiology Research Unit, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, India

    M S Pednekar

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  1. P C Gupta
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  2. R Gupta
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  3. M S Pednekar
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Correspondence to P C Gupta.

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Gupta, P., Gupta, R. & Pednekar, M. Hypertension prevalence and blood pressure trends in 88 653 subjects in Mumbai, India. J Hum Hypertens 18, 907–910 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jhh.1001763

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