Blood pressure measurement campaign (May Measurement Month) 2019: Analysis of screening in spanish community pharmacies and detection of masked hypertension

Aim: To learn about the situation of body pressure (BP) in the Spanish population within the May Measurement Month project, to disseminate the importance of its periodic measurement, and to estimate the prevalence of masked hypertension.

Methods: Cross-sectional descriptive study in Spanish community pharmacies during May 2019. Adult users who consented to participate.

Variables: systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), heart rate (HR) in beats/minute (beats/min).

Participants with BP ≥130/85 and <149/90 were offered confirmation of values by Home Blood Pressure Monitoring (HBPM) to confirm masked hypertension.

Results: 3402 valid records made by 491 pharmacists. 61.9% women, mean age 56.6 years. 143 (4.2%) had never measured BP and 918 (27.0%) had not measured BP in the last year. 1047 were taking antihypertensive drugs, 45.7% of whom had high BP.

780 (22.9%) participants had elevated BP values;both 252 (7.4%). Systolic mBP was 125.0, diastolic mBP 76.5 mm Hg, higher in men (p<0.001). The mHR was 72.6 beats/min.

A direct relationship was found between systolic and diastolic BP and BMI (p<0.0001). Diastolic BP and HR were higher in smokers (p<0.0001). In diabetic patients, systolic BP, diastolic BP and HR were higher.

61 participants with suspected masked hypertension agreed to undergo HBPM. 25 (40.1%) had BP ≥135/85 mmHg.

Conclusions: Nearly one in four participants had BP values ≥140/90 mmHg. The risk factors most closely related to elevated BP were overweight, diabetes, and age. Forty percent of suspected masked hypertension were confirmed by HBPM.