Single men clueless about hypertension

BEIJING, June 23 (UPI) -- Young, single men worldwide know the least about high blood pressure and are less likely to receive treatment, researchers in Canada found.

Dr. Clara Chow, assistant professor, McMaster University in Hamilton, and colleagues analyzed data from 150,000 participants from 17 countries as part of the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiological Study.

The study found awareness rates in high-income countries for high blood pressure were similar in urban areas at 57 percent and rural areas at 54 percent. However, hypertension awareness in low-income countries was 45 percent in rural areas compared with 56 percent in urban areas.

Treatment rates in high-income countries were comparable at 46 percent in urban areas and 48 percent in rural areas. However, in low-income counties, 23 percent received treatment in rural areas, while 38 percent received treatment in urban areas.

"Hypertension is a well recognized major determinant of cardiovascular disease internationally, yet, in some groups awareness, treatment and control is poor," Chow said in a statement.

The findings were presented at the World Congress of Cardiology scientific sessions in Beijing.