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. 1998 Feb 14;316(7131):614–617. doi: 10.1136/bmj.316.7131.614

Hypertension treatment and control in sub-Saharan Africa: the epidemiological basis for policy

Richard S Cooper a, Charles N Rotimi a, Jay S Kaufman a, Walinjom FT Muna b, George A Mensah c
PMCID: PMC1112640  PMID: 9518920

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Figure.

Figure

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Although the relative risk of a cardiovascular event in people with high and normal blood pressure is similar in Africa and the United States, the absolute risk is up to 13 times greater in Africans

Table.

Mean blood pressure (mm Hg) and age in three cohort studies in Africa

Age group Systolic pressure
Diastolic pressure
Rural Urban poor Urban workers Rural Urban poor Urban workers
25-34 107 111 118 69 71 73
35-44 113 119 123 73 77 79
45-54 118 131 129 76 81 81
55-64 124 135 139 77 81 87
⩾65 129 143 142 75 82 84
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Footnotes

Funding: This work was supported by grants from the NHLBI (HL 45508 and HL 47910).

Conflict of interest: None.

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