Regional Differences in the Prevalence of Hypertension in Turkey

AbstractHypertension is the leading cause of death among the different cardiovascular risk factors. Studies have found that differences in the prevalence of hypertension exist depending on gender, age, race, socio-demographic characteristics and geographical location. In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence of hypertension according to gender and regional distribution during the last five years in Turkey. The diagnosis of essential hypertension in individuals was determined from across the country based on data from 2009-2013 obtained from Social Security Insurance. From the data of this study, the prevalence of hypertension was found to be significantly greater for both sexes in the Black Sea Region for all the years surveyed. The prevalence of hypertension in women was found to be higher than men in all geographic areas (p<0.05). Hypertension maintains its importance as one of the most significant health problems in Turkey. In light of this data, regional variation has been determined for the prevalence of hypertension in Turkey.