Arq. Bras. Cardiol. 2019; 113(3): 391
Short Editorial: Hypertension in Special Populations: An Epidemiological Challenge
DOI: 10.5935/abc.20190180
This Short Editorial is referred by the Research article "Prevalence of Systemic Arterial Hypertension in Quilombola Communities, State of Sergipe, Brazil".
Arterial hypertension (AH) is the most prevalent chronic disease worldwide and the main risk factor for most cardio-cerebrovascular diseases. The true prevalence in Brazil is still unknown, and the available data are from the Vigitel Study, where the information is obtained by telephone contact. The prevalence of hypertension in Brazil is estimated at around 31% in adult individuals. In recent data from the Vigitel Study, the prevalence was 25.7% of the adult Brazilian population. Knowledge of the real prevalence and geographic distribution is not only important for prevention and treatment measures, but also contribute to the knowledge of the genesis of the disease.
In some populations, particularly individuals of African descent, AH has its own characteristics, including prevalence, therapeutic response and severity., The multifactorial aspect of AH is only understood when assessing special populations considering their own habitats and habits, as in the case of quilombolas, where individuals with African ancestry still retain some genetic and cultural characteristics of the African origin. The analysis in this context is important, since we can detect aspects inherent to factors related to AH development.
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