Understanding hypertension in Indian physicians: A cross-sectional study of blood pressure

Background: Hypertension is recognized as the pre-eminent worldwide risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. This study aims to determine the prevalence of hypertension among Indian physicians, characterize their systolic blood‑pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood‑pressure (DBP) distributions in a larger population.

Method: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted as part of the “Know Your Number” initiative, designed to raise awareness among physicians about the importance of monitoring their own blood pressure. Physicians’ demographics, SBP, DBP, and electrocardiographic (ECG) evaluation status were collected during the study.

Results: A total of 5,428 physicians were included in the study. The mean age of the physicians was 51.1 years. The majority of the physicians were in the age group range >40 - ≤50 years (22.6%), with the majority being male physicians (91.8%). The average SBP and DBP were 130.2 mmHg and 83.7 mmHg, respectively. In the west region, physicians aged ≤40 years were higher compared to the other age groups (46.1% vs. 39.7% vs. 38.6% vs. 32.0%). Existing hypertension was significantly higher among physicians aged >60 years (44.4%). Existing hypertension was more common among the physicians from the East (25%) and North regions (19.5%), while the West had a higher proportion of non-hypertensive individuals (43.7%). Tachycardia was most common in physicians with SBP ≥140 mmHg (45.1%), followed by AF (26.3%) and bradycardia (40.0%). Weak positive correlation was observed between SBP (r=0.286; P<0.001), DBP (r=0.150; P<0.001), and age.

Conclusion: The study highlights significant age and hypertension-related differences among physicians. Older age and existing hypertension were strongly linked to higher BP, and increased prevalence of ECG abnormalities. These findings underscore the importance of prioritizing physician health and implementing proactive strategies to mitigate CV risk.