DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2013.v01i06.0072

Pages: 975-980

A community based cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out to assess the prevalence of hypertension with respect to sex and marital status. The study was taken from Oct. 2012 to Sept. 2013. District Pulwama was undertaken for the study , approximately 56% of this population comprise 18 years and above. The sampling method used was 10% villages from each block were taken for study using population proportion to size method ( PPS). From each selected village 5% households were taken by systemic random method for the study. We have taken a sample size of 2100, out of which 1007 participants were males and 1093 participants were females. In each household, inmates of age 18 years and above were screened for hypertension. Those found fulfilling the inclusion criteria laid down for hypertension (JNC-VII 2003) were subjected to pretested questionnaire and two blood pressure readings were taken. The study population with hypertension and pre-hypertension (407 participants out of which 101 are pre-hypertensive) was screened for sex and marital status and two blood pressure readings 10 minutes apart mercury sphygmomanometer which was standardised. Both blood pressure measurements were taken after the subject was resting for at least 5 minutes in a sitting position. Blood pressure measurements were obtained on the right arm using a cuff of appropriate size and with instrument at the level of the heart. The cuff pressure was inflated 30mmHg above the level at which the radial pulse disappears, then deflated slowly at the rate of 2 mmHg per second and the readings recorded to the nearest 2 mmHg. The first and the fifth Korotk off sounds were taken as indicative of the systolic and diastolic blood pressure respectively. The average of the two readings of systolic and diastolic blood pressure was used as the blood pressure of the participant. In results; Males1007 (48%), Females1093 (52%), Overall prevalence of hypertension 306 (14.56%), Prevalence in males 139