Population Based Strategies for Effective Control of High Blood Pressure in Pakistan

Studies have established that high blood pressure (BP) is the most common risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Despite a heavy burden of hypertension (33% of all persons aged 45 years and over), there are no reliable data on comparative strategies to manage hypertension in Pakistan. Our Wellcome Trust funded pilot study in Karachi, Pakistan on 320 adults aged 40 years and over showed that the prevalence of hypertension (95% CI) was 40.3% (34.9-45.7%), and CVD was 32.5% (27.6-37.8%).

We will now conduct a study with two components: 1) cross sectional study to determine the prevalence of CVD, and its determinants in Karachi, Pakistan; and 2) prospective, 2x2 factorial design, cluster allocation intervention study to evaluate the impact of a i) Population approach of household health education (HHE) by community health workers (CHW) on BP levels of population aged 5 years or over in low-middle income communities of Karachi; and ii) High-Risk approach of special BP management administered by intensively trained local general practitioners on BP levels of hypertensive subjects aged > = 40 years from the above population.

The cost effective BP control strategy would serve as a model for a much-needed national level hypertension control programme in Pakistan, and possibly other developing countries in South Asia.

We hypothesize that 1) HHE delivered by trained CHW is superior to no HHE in lowering BP levels of the population; and 2) management of hypertension by specially trained GPs is better than usual care provided in the communities of Karachi in lowering blood pressure of hypertensive subjects.