OBJECTIVE: This study analysed the prevalence of hypertension and its associated risk factors in Czech adults aged 25-64 using data from the 2019 European Health Examination Survey (EHES). Given the limited number of large-scale studies in Central Europe, this study provides crucial evidence to inform public health strategies. Examining gender differences and applying updated control thresholds, it provides valuable insights into hypertension management in Czechia. SUBJECT AND METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using EHES 2019 data. Participants underwent a medical examination assessing cardiovascular health, including blood pressure and blood tests. A total of 1,056 participants were included, aged 25-64 years (mean age of 44.4 ± 0.73) years and with a mean BMI of 27.6 ± 0.35 kg/m2. Hypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure and/or diastolic blood pressure (mean of the second and the third measurements, 1 min apart) ≥140/90 mm Hg and/or current antihypertensive treatment. Awareness was determined by self-reporting prior diagnosis. Control was assessed as blood pressure <130/80 mm Hg (control 1) or <140/90 mm Hg (control 2). RESULTS: Hypertension prevalence was 36.3%, with higher rates in males (46.0%) than in females (26.3%, p < 0.001). Awareness was 64.8% greater in females (72.0% vs. 60.9%, p = 0.027). Treatment was received by 47.6% of hypertensives, more by women (57.7% vs. 42.0%, p < 0.001). Control rates were 10.4% (control 1) and 49.4% (control 2). CONCLUSION: Hypertension is common in Czech adults, with gender differences in prevalence, awareness, and treatment. Despite high awareness, treatment and control remain suboptimal, indicating the need for targeted interventions.

Department of Internal Medicine Faculty Hospital Motol and 2nd Faculty of Medicine of Charles University Prague Czechia

Department of Internal Medicine University Hospital Královské Vinohrady 3rd Faculty of Medicine Charles University Prague Czechia

Department of Public Health Faculty of Medicine Masaryk University Brno Czechia

Department of Social Geography and Regional Development Faculty of Science Charles University Prague Czechia

Departments of Global Health and Population and Epidemiology Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health Harvard University Boston Massachusetts USA

Foundation for Clinic Public Health and Epidemiology Research of Venezuela Caracas Venezuela

International Clinical Research Centre Brno Czechia

The National Institute of Public Health Prague Czechia

Zobrazit více v PubMed

Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation . Global burden disease (GBD) 2021. GBD compare tool. Available from: https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-compare/ (accessed June 23rd, 2024).

NCD Risk Factor Collaboration NCD-RisC . Worldwide trends in hypertension prevalence and progress in treatment and control from 1990 to 2019: a pooled analysis of 1201 population-representative studies with 104 million participants. Lancet. 2021;398(10304):957–80. PubMed PMC

Cífková R, Bruthans J, Wohlfahrt P, Krajčoviechová A, Šulc P, Eremiášová L, et al. . The prevalence of major cardiovascular risk factors in the Czech population in 2015-2018. The Czech post-MONICA study). Cor Vasa. 2020;62(1):6–16.

Pavlovska I, Polcrova A, Mechanick JI, Brož J, Infante-Garcia MM, Nieto-Martínez R, et al. . Dysglycemia and abnormal adiposity drivers of cardiometabolic-based chronic disease in the Czech population: biological, behavioral, and cultural/social determinants of health. Nutrients. 2021;13(7):2338. PubMed PMC

Cífková R, Bruthans J, Wohlfahrt P, Krajčoviechová A, Šulc P, Jozífová M, et al. . 30-year trends in major cardiovascular risk factors in the Czech population, Czech MONICA and Czech post-MONICA, 1985 - 2016/17. PLoS One. 2020;15(5):e0232845. PubMed PMC

Taniwall A, Brož J, Prýmková B, Samková L, Vejtasová V, Lustigová M, et al. . Jak dobře jsme léčili hypertenzi v posledních 25 letech? Vnitr Lek. 2022;68(8):545–8.

Taniwall A, Broz J, Lustigova M, Gonzalez-Rivas JP, Maranhao Neto GDA, Pavlovska I, et al. . Effectiveness of treatment of arterial hypertension in Central Europe from 1972 to 2022. Bratisl Lek Listy. 2024;125(5):322–30. PubMed

Čapková N, Lustigová M. Zdravotní stav české populace: Výsledky studie EHES 2019. Státní zdravotní ústav. 2022.

Eurostat . Quality report of the third wave of the European Health Interview Survey (EHIS 2019). Publications Office of the European Union; 2022. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/7870049/14937972/KS-FT-22-002-EN-N.pdf

European Health Interview Survey (EHIS) . 2019. Available from: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/microdata/european-health-interviewsurvey (accessed June 23rd, 2024).

Williams B, Mancia G, Spiering W, Agabiti Rosei E, Azizi M, Burnier M, et al. . 2018 ESC/ESH Guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension. Eur Heart J. 2018;39(33):3021–104. PubMed

Souček M, Widimský J, Žižka J, Řiháček I, Fráňa P, Plachý M. Treatment of hypertension in an internist’s office. Interní Medicína pro praxi. 2010;12(11):561–4.

Malta DC, Bernal RTI, Ribeiro EG, Moreira AD, Felisbino-Mendes MS, Velásquez-Meléndez JG. Arterial hypertension and associated factors: national health survey, 2019. Rev Saude Publica. 2023;56:122. PubMed PMC

Zdrojewski T, Szpakowski P, Bandosz P, Pajak A, Wiecek A, Krupa-Wojciechowska B, et al. . Arterial hypertension in Poland in 2002. J Hum Hypertens. 2004;18(8):557–62. PubMed

Cífková R, Skodová Z, Bruthans J, Adámková V, Jozífová M, Galovcová M, et al. . Longitudinal trends in major cardiovascular risk factors in the Czech population between 1985 and 2007/8. Czech MONICA and Czech post-MONICA. Atherosclerosis. 2010;211(2):676–81. PubMed