Frequency of uncontrolled hypertension and associated risk factors attending cardiac outpatient department Sindh Institute of medical sciences Shahdadpur.

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency of uncontrolled hypertension and its associated risk factors at Outpatient department of Sindh Institute of Medical Sciences Shahdadpur (SIMS). Study Design: Descriptive Cross-sectional study. Setting: Cardiac OPD of SIMS Shahdadpur. Period: 2023 to February, 2024. Methods: The sample size was 300 participants of both gender and were selected by convenience sampling. Data was collected on a designed questionnaire containing sociodemographic information, medical history, dietary habits, lifestyle, after taking informed consent from the participants who were fulfilling the inclusion criteria. Data was then analysed by hand sorting techniques, MS office and SPSS version 27.0. Ethical rules of the university were followed. Results: The research included 300 patients, with frequency of Uncontrolled Hypertension was concluded 62.6 %. A significant proportion had a history of irregular blood pressure check-ups (78.3%), while only 20.7% reported drug compliance. The education rate was relatively low, 66% were illiterate, and overweight and obesity were prevalent in 80.3% of the patients. Smoking was reported by 39.4% of the participants, and a majority (59.6%) belonged to a lower socioeconomic class and in rural residents (72.3%). Conclusion: Study's findings suggest that frequency of uncontrolled hypertension is more than half of the total Uncontrolled hypertension is more prevalent among rural residents, among females than males. Risk increase with age above 50years, Illiteracy, low socioeconomic groups, lack of physical activity, increase BMI, high salt diet, smoking, non-compliance to drugs, irregular checkup, stress and family history of hypertension.