Anthropometric characteristics and blood pressure levels of spouses of hypertensive patients attending the general outpatient clinic of a teaching hospital in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of both hypertension and obesity have been observed to be on the increase worldwide and in Nigeria. Obesity has been identified as a major risk factor for Hypertension. The aim was to examine the anthropometric characteristics and blood pressure levels of spouses of people living with hypertension.

Methods: Two hundred and thirty (230) spouses of hypertensive patients were selected by systematic sampling in this hospital based cross-sectional descriptive study at the General Outpatient Clinic of Lagos University Teaching Hospital. An interviewer administered questionnaire adapted from WHO STEP instrument was used to collect data. Blood pressure was measured with a standardized mercury sphygmomanometer. BMI and waist hip ratio were computed.

Results: The mean age of respondents was 52.3 ± 9.73 years. The mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures were 128.45 ± 19.47 mmHg and 82.68 ± 11.71 mmHg respectively. More than one third (35.2%) of spouses of hypertensive patients had elevated blood pressure. Also, most (73.1 %) of respondents were either overweight or obese by body mass index while 40% of them have elevated waist circumference. Over 80% of them have elevated waist hip ratio and these factors were all significantly associated with elevated blood pressure (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: More than one third of spouses of hypertensive patients are likely to have elevated blood pressure with almost threequarters being either overweight or obese. There is statistical relationship between overweight/obesity and blood pressure levels among them. Thus, there is a need to incorporate spousal case finding for obesity and hypertension in the comprehensive care offered by family physicians caring for hypertensive patients.