Background: Given the high figures of cardiovascular disease and hypertension in Spain, and the continuity of cardiovascular and total mortality risks at any level of blood pressure, mortality related to hypertension and blood pressure is estimated.
Subjects and methods: Blood pressure distribution from a representative sample of the 35 to 64 years old Spanish population and the relative risks for death coming from valid and reasonably generalizable international studies (MRFIT, Framingham and Chicago Project) were used. The proportions and absolute numbers of cardiovascular and total deaths related to blood pressure and hypertension (categories of the US Joint National Committee VI [JNC VI]) have been calculated in middle-aged men and women.
Results: As many as 42% of the coronary deaths, 46.4% of the stroke deaths and 25.5% of the total deaths are related to hypertension (> or = 140/90 mmHg), most of them in stages 1 and 2. It follows high-normal plus normal blood pressure group (8.3, 10.2 and 6.2% of these deaths, respectively). All together, 17,266 total deaths and 4,502 cardiovascular deaths related to blood pressure took place annually, three-quarters of them in males. Over the last ones, 65.5% are coronary and 34.5% cerebrovascular, prevailing the first ones in both sexes. Eight out of 10 deaths, cardiovascular or total, related to blood pressure are concentrated in the hypertension categories, and two out of 10 in the high-normal or normal blood pressure groups.
Conclusions: One out of 3 total deaths and one out of 2 cardiovascular deaths are related to blood pressure. One out of 4 total deaths and one out of 2.5 cardiovascular deaths are related to hypertension. A substantial part of these deaths come from stages 1 and 2 hypertension and from high-normal and normal blood pressure group.