Status and management of hypertension in Greece: role of... : Journal of Hypertension (original) (raw)

Original papers: Epidemiology

role of the adoption of a Mediterranean diet

the Attica study

Panagiotakos, Demosthenes B; Pitsavos, Christos H; Chrysohoou, Christina; Skoumas, John; Papadimitriou, Lambros; Stefanadis, Christodoulos; Toutouzas, Pavlos K

Cardiology Clinic, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Greece.

Presented, in part, at the Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association 2002 and the 24th Congress of the European Society of Cardiology.

Sponsorship: The Attica study is supported by research grants from the Hellenic Cardiological Society (HCS2002) and the Hellenic Heart Foundation (HHF2001-HHF2002).

Conflicts of interest: None.

Correspondence and requests for reprints to Demosthenes B Panagiotakos, 46 Paleon Polemiston Street, 166 74, Attica, Greece. Tel: +30 210 960 3116; fax: +30 210 960 0719; e-mail [email protected]

Received 9 January 2003 Revised 6 May 2003 Accepted 9 May 2003

Abstract

Objective

To evaluate the prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension, in a random sample of adults free of cardiovascular disease, in Greece. A secondary goal was to evaluate the association between hypertension status and adoption of the Mediterranean diet.

Design

Cross-sectional survey.

Participants

On the basis of multistage sampling, 1128 men and 1154 women older than 18 years were enrolled.

Main outcome measures

The survey included a detailed interview and, among other clinical measurements, status and management of blood pressure were recorded. Adoption of the Mediterranean diet was assessed through a special questionnaire.

Results

The prevalence of hypertension was 38.2% in men and 23.9% in women (P< 0.05). The majority of men (65%) and women (40%) were untreated, and of those who were treated, only 109 of 319 (34%) had their blood pressure adequately controlled. Thus only 15% of the hypertensive population had their blood pressure well controlled. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that consumption of a Mediterranean diet was associated with a 26% (odds ratio = 0.74, P = 0.008) lower risk of being hypertensive, and with a 36% (odds ratio = 1.36, P = 0.021) greater probability of having the blood pressure controlled.

Conclusions

A considerable proportion of the general population remain unaware of having hypertension or do not have their blood pressure well controlled. However, consumption of a Mediterranean type of diet seems to reduce rates of hypertension in the population, and may contribute to the control of hypertension at the population level.