@article{3092639,
    title = "Prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension in a
general population sample of 26 913 adults in the Greek EPIC study",
    author = "Psaltopoulou, T and Orfanos, P and Naska, A and Lenas, D and and Trichopoulos, D and Trichopoulou, A",
    journal = "International Journal of Epidemiology",
    year = "2004",
    volume = "33",
    number = "6",
    pages = "1345-1352",
    publisher = "Oxford University Press",
    issn = "0300-5771, 1464-3685",
    doi = "10.1093/ije/dyh249",
    keywords = "hypertension; prevalence; control; awareness; treatment; Greece; EPIC",
    abstract = "Background Premature mortality from cardiovascular diseases could be
prevented by the effective control of hypertension. Nationwide data for
the status of hypertension in the adult Greek population are not
available.
Methods In the context of the Greek component of the European
Prospective Investigation into Cancer and nutrition (EPIC), 26 913
volunteers, aged 20-86 years, were recruited from several regions of
Greece. Blood pressure measurements were taken by trained physicians and
standard interviewing procedures were used to record medical history,
and socio-demographic and lifestyle characteristics. The data were
modelled through multiple regression.
Results The prevalence of hypertension (based on two arterial blood
pressure measurements on a single occasion) is 40.2% for men and 38.9%
for women (age-adjusted to the adult Greek population of 2001). In the
sample examined, awareness among hypertensives is 54.4%, pharmaceutical
treatment among those aware is 83.9%, and effective control among
hypertensives is 15.2%. Prevalence of hypertension increases with age
and is higher in rural areas and among individuals of lower education.
Awareness and control of hypertension is higher among older individuals,
among women and among the highly educated. Moreover, awareness of
hypertension is higher among rural residents, whereas control of
hypertension is more effective among urban residents.
Conclusions In a large sample of the general Greek population, the
prevalence of hypertension among men is lower than the average among the
EU countries, whereas the corresponding prevalence among women is
higher. Awareness and control of hypertension is lower in Greece than in
other western countries, making them public health priorities."
}