Blood pressure and heart murmurs in a rural population in the United Republic of Tanzania

Abstract

Hypertension, congestive heart failure, and valvular heart disease are frequently seen among hospital inpatients in the United Republic of Tanzania. A population survey was therefore carried out to determine the prevalence of hypertension and cardiac murmurs in a random sample of people aged 25-64 years living in an undeveloped rural area. Standard cardiovascular survey methods as recommended by WHO were used. Only mean systolic blood pressure in women increased with age; even so, the difference in mean levels between those aged 25-34 and 55-64 years was only about 1.6 kPa (12 mmHg). Hypertension was found to be uncommon, only 2% of subjects having blood pressures >/= 21.3/ 12.7 kPa (>/= 160/95 mmHg). By means of multiple regression analysis, less than 10% of the variance in blood pressure levels could be explained by age and anthropometric measurements. Murmurs of grade 2 or more were detected in 17% of the men and 22% of the women, being most commonly heard at the apex (54%) and the left lower border of the sternum (31%). Mitral valve diastolic murmurs were heard in 4 of 275 women and these were asymptomatic. The cause of the high prevalence of systolic murmurs is unknown.