Analysis of Hypertension in Peru: Prevalence, Associated Factors, Knowledge, Management and Control, 2014-2022

Introduction: Hypertension (HTN), prehypertension, and High Blood Pressure (HBP) represent a chronic medical condition of growing global concern. Highlighting the importance of Awareness, medication, and Control of HTN is essential. A significant proportion of hypertensive patients are unaware of their condition, hindering proper and early treatment. Among those diagnosed, not all receive or follow pharmacological treatment, and an even smaller percentage achieves effective blood pressure control. Objective: The main objectives include determining the prevalence, trends, and associated factors of HTN, as well as investigating prehypertension and the variability in HBP levels during the same period. Special attention will be given to self-reported, medicated, and Controlled hypertension, analyzing its evolution and associated factors. Methods: We conducted an analytical cross-sectional study using the National Survey of Demographic and Family Health database between 2014 and 2022. Our study included individuals aged 18 years and older, as the definitions of HTN apply to people from this age onwards. Results: The study revealed an overall HTN, prehypertension, and HBP prevalence of 20.76%, 33.44%, and 33.44%, respectively, with annual variations. An increasing trend in the prevalence of known, medicated, and controlled HTN was observed, with factors such as gender, age, educational level, and geographical region significantly influencing it. Conclusions: The investigation into HTN in Peru revealed an expanding occurrence of HTN, prehypertension, and HBP, emphasizing the necessity for early identification, suitable treatment, and effective management of HTN. A significant gap is observed between the condition's awareness and effective management, highlighting the urgent need for public health strategies that address both the prevention and treatment of HTN in Peru. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. ### Funding Statement This study is self-financed. ### Author Declarations I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained. Yes The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below: In this study, data that are freely and publicly accessible and anonymized, meaning they do not contain information that allows the personal identification of participants, thus eliminating any ethical risk to them, have been used. The National Institute of Statistics and Informatics collects ENDES's annual data. This Peruvian government entity ensures informed consent is obtained from participants to collect the necessary information through the survey. For adult participants aged 18 and over, consent is directly collected. In the case of participants under 18, consent is requested from one of their parents or the responsible adult, thus ensuring ethics in evaluating minors. I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals. Yes I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance). Yes I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable. Yes All data produced are available online at https://proyectos.inei.gob.pe/microdatos/