¹Preventive Cardiology Medical Hospital and Research Centre, Moradabad, India

²Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Yonsel University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

³Institute of Medical Sciences, BHU, Varanasi (UP), India

⁴Department of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidon University, Bangkok, Thailand

⁵Philippine Lipid Society, Mandaluyong City, Philippines

⁶13th APCC, Manila, Philippines

⁷School of Medical Sciences, University Sains Malaysia, Kelanton, Malaysia

⁸Punjab Institute of Cardiology, Lahore, Pakistan

⁹Department of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong

¹⁰Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Centre, Isfahan, Iran

Correspondence to: Dr R B Singh Professor, Preventive Cardiology, Civil Lines, Moradabad-10 (UP) 244001, India E-mail: icn@nde.vsnl.net.in

Reliable statistics related to the prevalence, incidence and mortality of hypertension and stroke are not available from Asia. The data may be in national or institutional reports or journals published in the local language only. The mortality rate for stroke has been on the decline since the mid 1960s in the developed countries of Asia, such as Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, with some improvement in Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong, some areas of China and Malaysia about 15 years later. In India, China, Phillippines, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Iran, Pakistan, Nepal, there has been a rapid increase in stroke mortality and prevalence of hypertension. The prevalence of hypertension according to new criteria (>140/90 mm Hg) varies between 15-35% in urban adult populations of Asia. In rural populations, the prevalence is two to three times lower than in urban subjects. Hypertension and stroke occur at a relatively younger age in Asians and the risk of hypertension increases at lower levels of body mass index of 23-25 kg/m². Overweight, sedentary behaviour, alcohol, higher social class, salt intake, diabetes mellitus and smoking are risk factors for hypertension in most of the countries of Asia. In Australia, New Zealand and Japan, lower social class is a risk factor for hypertension and stroke. Population-based long-term follow-up studies are urgently needed to demonstrate the association of risk factors with hypertension in Asia. However prevention programmes should be started based on cross-sectional surveys and case studies without waiting for the cohort studies.

Journal of Human Hypertension (2000) 14, 749-763

body mass index; mortality; rural; urban; guidelines; prevention