BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENING IN MATA SECTOR, A RURAL AREA OF RWANDA

Objective: In rural sub-Saharan Africa, knowledge of non-communicable diseases such as high blood pressure (BP) is rather limited. This report provides information about a BP screening in Mata Sector, a rural region in Southern Province of Rwanda. Design and method: Community-based, house-to-house screening was performed between February and July 2020 on more than 7,000 inhabitants. The screening was conducted by a local team composed by 20 community health care workers, five community health care supervisors, and one nurse with hypertension surveillance training. BP and heart rate were recorded after 5 minutes of resting using a validated automated oscillometric OMRON M6 IT-HEM-7322-E monitor with Intelli Wrap Cuff (HEM-FL31-E) technology. The mean of the second and third value was retained. Results: BP was normal (<140/90 mm Hg) in 6,340 (88%) and elevated in 863 (12%) individuals with 95% of unawareness. Grade 1 (140–159/90–99 mm Hg) hypertensive BP readings were detected in 697 (81%), grade 2 (160-179/100-109 mm Hg) in 134 (16%), and grade 3 (more or equal to 180/more or equal to 110 mm Hg) in 32 (3.7%) participants. The prevalence of hypertensive readings was significantly age-dependent. Additionally, a slightly greater proportion of participants with high BP (14% versus 11%) had a body mass index (BMI) more or equal to 25.0 kg/m2. Also resting heart rate was higher in individuals with high BP (82 versus 77 beats/min). Conclusions: Although individuals identified with occasionally elevated BP values need further confirmatory measurements to establish the diagnosis of hypertension, these data suggest that high BP represents a noteworthy and preventable reason of concern within sub-Saharan Africa