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In the cross section study of a sample of 1,915 newly diagnosed cases of hypertension and 8,043 healthy individuals, a comparative analysis is made of different risk factors which can influence blood pressure counts. An association among the statistics for an excessive salt intake, stress, when the analysis is made according to age, in those over 45 years of age and regular physical exercise is shown. To the contrary, this association is not found with the use of oral contraceptives nor among the smoking population, even among those smoking over 20 cigarettes a day. For each one of these variables, the relative inequalities and their respective reliability intervals are studied. In the population studied, the factor of greatest importance is an excessive salt intake, revealing a risk twice that of diets in which no salt is added.
Risk factors were compared in 1915 newly diagnosed cases of hypertension and 8043 normotensive controls of similar age, sex and socioeconomic status. Blood pressure was measured immediately after an epidemiological survey during which salt intake, physical activity, and stress were examined. Over 7-8 g of salt per day was considered excessive, less than that amount was considered slight, and no addition of salt to food was considered null. 3 exercise groups were composed of persons exercising at least 4 times weekly, not exercising at all, and falling in between. 3 stress groups were composed of individuals with high levels of stress in their work or elsewhere, those in intermediate situations, and those with relatively stress-free lives. 3 smoking groups were composed of nonsmokers, persons smoking up to 20 cigarettes per day, and persons smoking more than 20 cigarettes. 5985 women and 3973 men were included in the study. 586 of the 1915 newly diagnosed hypertensives (30.6%) had excessive salt consumption. 1243 (64.9%) had moderate consumption and 86 (4.5%) did not regularly consume salt. 23.0% of the control group had excessive salt consumption and 6.9% did not add salt to their food. The correlation between excessive salt consumption and blood pressure was statistically significant. Stress was also correlated with hypertension, but only in the subsample of persons over 45. 25.3% of the control group and 21.8% of the hypertensive exercised regularly, and the difference was statistically significant. The odds ratio were 1.48 for salt consumption, .82 for physical activity, and 1.31 for stress in persons over 45. No correlation was observed between either use of oral contraceptives or smoking and hypertension. 8.45% of the total sample (229 controls and 29 hypertensives) was composed of women under 45 who used oral contraceptives.
