Hypertension and Heart: Are We Aware? Hypertension Awareness and Cardiovascular Risk Profile in Health Care Professionals

Objectives: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide, and hypertension (HT) is a chronic condition characterized by high blood pressure. Early diagnosis and treatment are the most important goals in CAD and HT. The SCORE2 estimates 10-year risk of fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events. Although the number of patients receiving treatment for HT and CAD has increased in recent years, awareness of these diseases has not yet reached satisfactory levels. We aimed to assess awareness of HT and CAD among healthcare professionals. Materials and Methods: The study covered topics related to HT awareness, cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention, diet, nutritional habits, and lifestyle. Blood pressure was measured with a standard, calibrated sphygmomanometer after participants rested for at least 5 minutes and was repeated 10 minutes after the survey. Cardiovascular risk scores were calculated using SCORE2. Results: Among the 169 healthcare professionals included in the study, 40.2% (68) were male, and 59.8% (101) were female. The median age was 40 years. 13.6% of healthcare professionals had a diagnosis of HT. The rate of newly diagnosed HT was found to be 4.1%. The median SCORE2 was 2.4 in the night-shift group and 1.7 in the non-night-shift group (p=0.024). Conclusion: Regular blood pressure measurement among healthcare professionals was insufficient. While shift work does not increase CVD risk, this finding is thought to be due to the younger age of healthcare professionals who perform it.