Objective: To understand the epidemiological characteristics of essential hypertension in the northern and western areas of China.
Methods: A community-based sampling survey.
Results: Rates of awareness, treatment and control were 78.6%, 59.7% and 5.9%, respectively. About half of the diagnosed and treated patients took antihypertensive medicine irregularly before the survey was carried out.
Conclusion: It is necessary to carry out education, prevention and control on hypertension and to establish a series of standards for the management and treatment on cases of hypertension.