[Awareness, treatment and control of blood pressure according to place of recruitment and sex in the May Measure Month 2018 survey in Spain]

Objective: To analyse the data, according to recruiting place and sex, of the survey May Measure Month in 2018 (MMM18) in Spain, promoted by the International Society of Hypertension.

Methods: Subjects more than 18 years old were studied. MMM18 protocol was performed. Volunteers were recruited through the Spanish Society of Community Pharmacy (SEFAC) and the Spanish Society of Hypertension (SEH-LELHA). General linear models of blood pressure (BP) were carried out in subjects with and without treatment, and adjusted by age, sex, tobacco use, obesity and recruitment site.

Results: 7 511 individuals (mean age 51.7 ± 19.6 years, 36.8% males) were screened. Systolic and diastolic BP was higher in males (129.0-16.7/119.6-18.2 mmHg) (78.3-11.1/74.8-10.7 mmHg) (p < 0.001). There was a linear relationship between systolic BP, age and sex, with higher values in males (11.2 mmHg in untreated and 4.5 mmHg in treated) (p < 0.001). Diastolic BP was inverted U-shaped, with highest level in males and between 50-55 years. The proportion of individuals with hypertension (pharmacies; public and clinical area) was 47.2% (54.2; 34.1 and 34.8%). Seventy-five percent were aware of their diagnosis (77.5; 61.5 and 69.2%), with 22% of them without pharmacological treatment (20.7; 26.0 and 27.9%). Sixty-four point five percent of those under antihypertensive treatment met targets (62.9; 65.6 and 69.1%) (p < 0.001).

Conclusions: There is big room for improvement in MMM indicators in Spain. Nearly half of subjects are hypertensive. Of those aware of their condition, 1 in 5 did not follow pharmacological treatment and of those treated, 1 in 3 did not meet targets. BP levels were significantly higher in males. Our study suggests that gender differences described should be considered in the BP thresholds established.