Prehypertension, Hypertension, and Lifestyle Cardiovascular Risk Factors among Clergymen and Wives in a Rural Nigerian Community: An Opportunity for Early Intervention

A bstract Background: Prehypertension, the “precursor of hypertension,” offers an opportunity for intervention, thereby preventing progression to full-blown hypertension, and downregulates the pathophysiological mechanisms that lead to the development of cardiovascular diseases. However, despite many studies done among the general population, there is a dearth of data among the priestly community, who may be seen as “spiritually immune” from life stressors and some cardiovascular risk factors. Objectives: To assess the prevalence of prehypertension as compared with hypertension and the cardiovascular risk factor correlates among clergymen and women in Ideato Diocese, Imo State, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of all consenting clergymen at the medical outreach in Ideato Diocese, Imo State, Nigeria. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to obtain information on socio-demographic and behavioral risk factors for hypertension. Also, lipid analysis, anthropometry, blood pressure (BP), and fasting blood glucose measurements were recorded. Results: There were 287 participants, 156 (54.4%) males and 131 (45.6%) females, with an age range of 20–90 years (41–50 years being the majority [44.4%]), and the median age of 55.5 years. The prevalence of prehypertension was 37.6%, and that of hypertension was 41.8%. The hypertension awareness rate was 48.3%, while the control rate was 50%. The mean body mass index (BMI) of those with hypertension (28.78 kg/m²) was significantly higher than that of those with prehypertension (26.22 kg/m²) ( P = 0.002). Both BMI and waist circumference (WC) are positively correlated with systolic BP in prehypertension and hypertension groups ( P = 0.002) and ( P = 0.001), respectively. Conclusion: BMI and WC are strongly associated with BP levels. Therefore, weight control may serve as an interventional tool in the prevention of hypertension.