AN EPIDEMIOLOGIC SURVEY OF ARTERIAL BLOOD PRESSURE IN A LARGE MALE POPULATION GROUP

Abstract

Arterial blood pressure was measured in a male population group consisting of 42,804 subjects. The influence of 35 variables on blood pressure was examined, and their independent association with blood pressure was analyzed by means of multiple regression analysis. The most important factors influencing both systolic and diastolic blood pressure are: age, weight and height. The following factors are also significantly correlated with blood pressure: social class, smoking habits, a history of ischemic heart disease, electrocardiographic changes suggestive of either ischemic or hypertensive heart disease, presence of an arcus senilis, age of death of one of the parents, blood group AB, degree of physical activity, time of the year during which blood pressure was measured and the serum cholesterol value. All of these factors taken jointly explain less than 10% of the total variation of arterial blood pressure. Due to difficulties in standardization, differences in blood pressure between populations should be considered with some reserve.