Blood pressure distribution in a rural Ghanaian population

Hypertension and related complications appear, from clinical impression, to be increasing problems in urban Ghanaians. In early 1973 we conducted a blood pressure survey in 20 rural Ghanaian villages to determine the prevalence of hypertension, in comparison with studies done in Accra residents and black Americans. Rural Ghanaians had mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures which were lower at all ages than the urban groups. 2-5% of the subjects aged 16 to 54 years had diastolic blood pressures of 95 or higher mm Hg. These findings are discussed in view of the proposed hypertension control programme in Accra. We conclude that hypertension is not a significant health problem in rural Ghanaians and that large-scale hypertension case-finding and intervention programmes should be confined to urban populations.