Prevalence of hypertension and prehypertension and its associated cardioembolic risk factors; A population based cross-sectional study in Alkharj, Saudi Arabia

Background: Hypertension and prehypertension pose significant public-health and clinical challenges for both economically developed and developing nations. Prevalence of these conditions are frequently underreported because of its often-silent nature. Population-based studies that explore the occurrence and correlates of these conditions are scarce in Saudi Arabia. This study aimed at estimating the prevalence and associated factors of hypertension and prehypertension on a representative sample of males and females living in Al-Kharj town in Saudi Arabia. Methods: Cross-sectional analysis was performed from January 2016 until June 2016 by recruiting a representative sample (n = 1019; aged 18 to 67 years) of the Al Kharj population. All participants completed a self-administered questionnaire, followed by a physical examination and blood test. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS version 24.0 for Windows. Results: The prevalence of prehypertension was 66.1, 48.1 and 54.9% in male, female and all subjects, respectively. The prevalence of hypertension was 6.0, 4.2 and 4.9% in male, female and all subjects, respectively. Being overweight was associated with the highest risk of hypertension (OR = 4.98 [95% C.I. = 1.98-12.52], P = 0.001). People who were classified as class I obese had 3.5 times the risk of hypertension compared with the non-obese group (OR = 3.49 [95% C.I. = 1.42-8.63], P = 0.007). Risk of pre-hypertension was significantly lower in females (OR = 0.48 [95% C.I. = 0.32-0.71]) and tends to increase with obesity status. Gender-specific analyses found that males in the lowest education attainment level had a significantly increased risk of pre-hypertension (OR = 6.56 [95% C.I. = 1.27-33.85], P = 0.003). Conclusion: This population-based study in Saudi Arabia shows that hypertension and prehypertension are common conditions particularly among males. Overweight and obesity was associated with both conditions. In addition, lower education attainment was a significantly associated factor among males. Future prospective studies are needed to confirm the etiological nature of such associations.