Prevalence of arterial hypertension at different altitudes: a comparative analysis

Screening studies for chronic diseases are essential for identifying epidemiological patterns due to their broad coverage. This study investigated the association between hypertension and altitude, a topic of growing scientific interest given the uncertainty about the exact point at which atmospheric pressure begins to significantly influence blood pressure. To this end, the research compared the prevalence of hypertension at different altitudes, analyzing 100-meter strata and highlighting cities located above from sea level meters. The national average prevalence of hypertension was used as a reference for each stratum, and the difference in the frequency of hypertension-related healthcare visits in Primary Health Care services was assessed for locations below and above 900 meters. The results indicated a significant reduction in the prevalence of hypertension in cities located above 1,100 meters compared to those below 1,000 meters, suggesting an inverse relationship between altitude and hypertension. Additionally, a relative increase of 17.7% in hypertension prevalence was observed in the stratum above 1,100 meters compared to the national median, along with a statistically significant difference (p = 0.047) for cities above 900 meters. These findings reinforce the impact of altitude on blood pressure, particularly in populations residing at elevations above 1,100 meters.