Background: India, in the associated epidemiological transition, is facing a double burden of communicable and non communicable diseases. Old age is not a disease in itself, but the elderly are vulnerable to long term diseases of insidious onset like hypertension. Due to deficit of regular screening and unawareness about complications of long-term high blood pressure in old age in rural area the large number of population remain undiagnosed so they might suffer from the long term complications of hypertension.

Objectives: To evaluate the Prevalence and determinants of hypertension among elderly individuals attending outpatient department of Rural Health Training Center, Maner of IGIMS, Patna

Methods: This hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted during September 2017 to February 2018 among 640 elderly patients, aged 60 years or above, who attended first time at the Out Patient Department of Rural Health Training Center, Maner of IGIMS, Patna. And fulfilled inclusion criterion.

Results: Prevalence of high blood pressure among study participants was 50 %. High blood pressure is more prevalent in age group above 80 years and it was statistically significant (p value<0.05). Prevalence of hypertension in male and female participants was 42.32% and 55.49 % respectively, Inverse association was observed with alcohol and smoking. People belong to lower socio-economic status was more (54.76%) hypertensive followed by middle and upper (P <0.05).

Conclusions: Our findings emphasize that hypertension is an important public health problem among the geriatric population and that there is definite need for regular screening for hypertension. Geriatric health care should be integrated in the general health system up to primary health care level.

Keywords: Geriatric patients, Hypertension, Outpatient department, Prevalence.

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Dr Dharmvir Ranjan Bharati

Additional Professor, Department of Community Medicine,  Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sheikhpura, Patna 800014, Bihar, India

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