Abstract
Objective: To determine the prevalence of prehypertension and hypertension and to identify associated factors among relatives of cardiovascular patients receiving treatment at the Department of Cardiology, Thanh Hoa General Hospital. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 143 relatives of cardiovascular patients who had not previously been diagnosed with hypertension between May and October 2024. Participants underwent blood pressure measurement, anthropometric assessment including height, weight, and waist circumference, and were interviewed using a structured questionnaire to collect demographic characteristics and cardiovascular risk factors. Data were processed and analyzed using STATA version 16.0. Results: The prevalence of prehypertension and hypertension was high in the study population, with prehypertension being the most common blood pressure abnormality. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference were significantly higher in the prehypertension and hypertension groups compared with the normotensive group (p < 0.05). Demographic and lifestyle factors, including sex, educational level, place of residence, smoking status, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and family history of hypertension, were not significantly associated with elevated blood pressure in this study. Conclusions: Prehypertension and hypertension were highly prevalent among relatives of cardiovascular patients, reflecting a substantial burden of latent cardiovascular risk within this population with familial predisposition. Anthropometric indicators, particularly BMI and waist circumference, differed significantly across blood pressure categories. These findings underscore the importance of early blood pressure screening and the management of modifiable risk factors in high-risk individuals to enhance cardiovascular disease prevention efforts in the community.
