BACKGROUND  

The burden of hypertension and related health care needs among Mexican Americans will likely increase substantially in the near future.

OBJECTIVES  

In a nationally representative sample of U.S. Mexican American adults we examined: 1) the full range of blood pressure categories, from normal to severe; 2) predictors of hypertension awareness, treatment and control and; 3) prevalence of comorbidities among those with hypertension.

DESIGN  

Cross-sectional analysis of pooled data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), 1999–2004.

PARTICIPANTS  

The group of participants encompassed 1,359 Mexican American women and 1,421 Mexican American men, aged 25–84 years, who underwent a standardized physical examination.

MEASUREMENTS  

Physiologic measures of blood pressure, body mass index, and diabetes. Questionnaire assessment of blood pressure awareness and treatment.

RESULTS  

Prevalence of Stage 1 hypertension was low and similar between women and men (∼10%). Among hypertensives, awareness and treatment were suboptimal, particularly among younger adults (65% unaware, 71% untreated) and those without health insurance (51% unaware, 62% untreated). Among treated hypertensives, control was suboptimal for 56%; of these, 23% had stage ≥2 hypertension. Clustering of CVD risk factors was common; among hypertensive adults, 51% of women and 55% of men were also overweight or obese; 24% of women and 23% of men had all three chronic conditions-hypertension, overweight/obesity and diabetes.

CONCLUSION  

Management of hypertension in Mexican American adults fails at multiple critical points along an optimal treatment pathway. Tailored strategies to improve hypertension awareness, treatment and control rates must be a public health priority.