Blood pressure in a multiracial urban Sudanese community

A study was conducted into blood pressure in a sample of 510 urban Sudanese working in the post office in Khartoum. The mean age was 35 years and 65% of the workers came from Northern Sudan. Cigarette smoking and any consumption of alcohol was commonest amongst those from Southern Sudan. Both systolic and diastolic BPs rose with age. The prevalence of hypertension (140/90 mmHg or greater) was 75%. BP levels in this study were lower than those reported in Nigerians or blacks in the Caribbean or the United States. There was a significant positive correlation between SBP and DBP and age, weight, body mass index and duration of residence in the city. These data confirm that hypertension is becoming an important health problem in the Sudan.