Hypertension prevalence in Philippines rises to 37% in 2021

Hypertension prevalence in the Philippines increased to 37% in 2021, signaling a “progressive rise” of high blood pressure among Filipinos, the Philippine Heart Association (PHA) said Wednesday.

Dr. Jorge Sison said the fourth PHA Report on the Study of Hypertension (Presyon), involving 2,796 participants across 13 regions, was conducted from January to April this year.

This year’s 37% hypertension prevalence is the highest recorded since 1992. Prevalence was 52% among men and 48% among women.

Previous Presyon surveys found hypertension prevalence at 22% during 1997 to 1998, 21% in 2007, and 28% in 2013. Data from a nationwide registry and the National Health Expenditure Survey also showed 11% prevalence in 1992 and 22.6% in 2003.

“It looks like it is really unstoppable,” Sison said in an online forum. “I do believe with or without COVID, the progression of prevalence really is consistently increasing.”

The study also found that hypertension prevalence was higher among the elderly at 72%, compared to 5% among adolescents or those aged 12 to 18.

Sison said the characteristics of hypertensive individuals were the same regardless of age: “Adult and adolescent hypertensives have higher BMI (body mass index), waist circumference, and central obesity rate.”

Other findings

The survey also found that 67% of adult hypertensives take medications for their high blood pressure while 64% had uncontrolled hypertension and 36% had controlled their condition.

The study also showed 87% treatment compliance rate among hypertensive individuals.

“What is bad is the awareness, the treatment profile, the compliance, the control rate are low. That’s the reason why cardiovascular diseases related to hypertension really is the leading cause of morbidity, mortality,” Sison explained.

The PHA urged the public to join its “52100” advocacy: 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, 2 hours of screen time, 1 hour of moderate physical activity, 0 sugary and sweetened beverages, and 0 smoking and secondhand smoke. —NB, GMA News