Hypertension In Asia: Prevalence And Risk Factors: Systematic Review And Meta-Analyses

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the risk factors and the prevalence of hypertension in the Asian population since there has been a recent increase in incidences of hypertension leading to premature death. Methods: Various risk factors like BMI, lifestyle, alcohol, smoking, stress, psychological factors, sodium intake, urbanization, and diabetes were studied in the Asian population. Data analysis was done with SPSS. A total of 9063 studies were identified. Twelve studies with a total subject of 16105851 were selected. Results: The Singaporean study shows a strong link between BMI and hypertension with Malaysia showing a similar correlation. Tibet shows a correlation of hypertension with diabetes mellitus and altitude. A prevalence of 14% hypertension in diabetic males was found. Pakistani study expresses a significant correlation between obesity and hypertension. The study by Nepal depicts the relationship between the level of physical activity and hypertension. UAE reports hypertension in males. Saudi exhibits a low overall prevalence of 9.2% in a large sample. Iran shows a moderate gender difference in males while India displays an association between smoking and urbanization with hypertension. The Bangladeshi study marks an urban-rural divide signifying the impact of urbanization. The Vietnamese study suggests a correlation between alcohol consumption and hypertension. Conclusion: Preventive measures like lifestyle modifications through regular exercise, a balanced, nutritious diet and early diagnosis could be crucial in averting the condition.