Prevalence of isolated diastolic hypertension and associated risk factors among adults in Kanpur, India

Abstract Background Isolated diastolic hypertension (IDH) is a largely unrecognized subtype of hypertension, more commonly seen in the younger age group. Aims (1) To determine the prevalence of IDH in the adult population of Kanpur district. (2) To study the associated risk factors of IDH. Methods A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 801 subjects, aged 20 years and above, using multistage stratified random sampling technique. Results The prevalence of IDH was 4.5%, which was 6.2% in men and 3.1% in women. A significant proportion of IDH was seen in the 40–49 years age group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis of the associated risk factors showed that gender, physical activity and BMI were significantly associated with IDH. Conclusion Isolated diastolic hypertension is an emerging problem in developing countries. IDH is more common among men, sedentary individuals and those with a higher BMI.