PREVALENCE OF PRE-HYPERTENSION AND HYPERTENSION IN RURAL TAMIL NADU POPULATION – A PILOT STUDY REPORT FROM MANAMPATHY VILLAGE OF THIRUPORUR TEHSIL, KANCHEEPURAM DISTRICT OF TAMIL NADU, INDIA REKHA GOVINDAN 1 , RANA RANVIJAY SINGH 2 , DOLLY 2 , IMRAN SHAIKH GOUSE BASHA 2 , RAHUL KUMAR 2 & VIKAS KUMAR 2 1 Associate Professor, Department of Biotechnology, Aarupadai Veedu Institute of Technology, Vinayaka Missions University, Paiyanoor, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India 2 Department of Biotechnology, Aarupadai Veedu Institute of Technology, Vinayaka Missions University, Paiyanoor, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India ABSTRACT Considering the fact that a very narrow dividing line exist between normotension and hypertension and is still a debating topic among the physicians, BP levels of systolic ≥ 140 mm Hg and/or diastolic ≥ 90 mm Hg is accepted as an indicator for the diagnosis of hypertension. At and above this level, an increased mortality risk and association with other diseases have been reported through prospective cohort and case-control studies from most of the developed and developing countries. High fatty diet and body mass index have a positive correlation and physical activity is negatively related with hypertension. Many factors like alcohol consumption and smoking also increase the risk. Prevalence of hypertension in India as reported by various literatures has been on an increasing trend for the last three decades. Most of the studies are reported from urban population. More studies are needed based on rural Indian scenario. The present study was carried out to determine the prevalence of hypertension, its associated risk factors as well as to increase the awareness on importance of life style modifications in a rural population of Tamil Nadu. A greater understanding of the risk factors that account for the increase in hypertension could potentially contribute to its future prevention by addressing its root causes. KEYWORDS: Hypertension, Pre-hypertension, Risk Factors, Rural Populations of Tamil Nadu INTRODUCTION World Health Day is celebrated on 7 April to mark the anniversary of the founding of World Health Organization (WHO) in 1948. Ever year a theme is selected for World Health Day that highlights a priority area of public health concern all over the world. This year in 2013, theme for World Health Day is high blood pressure, also known as raised blood pressure or hypertension. The epidemiology of hypertension, in terms of both, its importance as a risk factor for cardiovascular and other diseases and of its own etiology, continues to be a major field of investigation with an enormous peer-reviewed literature every year. Elevated blood pressure is the most important cardiovascular risk factor contributing to one half of the coronary heart diseases and approximately two third of the cerebrovascular diseases because, it exerts excessive pressure on the interior wall of arteries, thereby damaging internal endothelial lining of the blood vessels (1) . Hypertension is an important public health problem in developing countries especially in adults, aged 40-55 years (2) . Recent studies among Indians show a high prevalence of hypertension in both urban and rural areas (3,4,5) . Though International Journal of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences (IJMPS) ISSN 2250 - 0049 Vol. 3, Issue 3, Aug 2013, 1-8 © TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.