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Background: Hypertension and proteinuria are risk factors for cardiovascular disease. They are also important risk factors for further deterioration of renal function in chronic kidney disease (CKD) irrespective of the cause of CKD. Both are asymptomatic at early stages and can only be detected during medical consultation for a related or unrelated illness. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out to assess awareness of blood pressure (BP) status among adults in a semi-urban community in Southern Nigeria. The magnitude of undiagnosed hypertension and proteinuria in the community was also assessed. BP measurement was by standardized method while proteinuria was detected by use of urinary dipstick. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 21.0. Results: A total of 389 people were recruited. There were 223 (57.3) males and 116 (42.7) females. Only 104 (26.7) were aware of their BP status before the study. Awareness was higher in females but did not differ significantly among the different age groups; educational status or occupations. Hypertension was newly diagnosed in 105 (27) of the participants while proteinuria was diagnosed in 47 (12.1). Proteinuria and overweight were higher among participants with prehypertension than other BP categories. Conclusions: The study revealed a low level of awareness of BP status and a high prevalence of undiagnosed hypertension and proteinuria in the community. Concerted efforts are needed to improve the awareness of BP and other risk factors for cardiovascular and kidney diseases

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BACKGROUND: The prevalence of hypertension is on the increase in Nigeria. Prehypertension is considered a precursor of hypertension and a predictor of excessive cardiovascular risk. Identifying individuals with prehypertension and initiating effective measures will aid in reducing the incidence and prevalence of hypertension in our environment. The aim of this study was to quantify the magnitude of prehypertension and determine its associations among adults in a representative semi-urban Nigerian population. METHODS: A cross-sectional study which was carried out in a semi-urban setting in Southeast Nigeria. Blood pressure (BP) was measured using the standard methods. A cardiovascular risk factor screening based on physical characteristics, individual medical, and family history of participants was done. RESULTS: There were a total of 389 participants comprising 223 (57.3%) males and 116 (42.7%) females; male:female ratio been 1.9:1. The prevalence of prehypertension and hypertension were 45.5% and 37.8%, respectively. Males were significantly more likely to have prehypertension than females (61% vs. 39% respectively; OR = 1.32, P = 0.03). There was a weak positive significant correlation between age and both systolic (r = 0.16, P < 0.01) and diastolic (r = 0.12, P = 0.02) blood pressures. Up to 72.6% of individuals with prehypertension have abnormal body mass index (BMI). While up to 8.5% of the participants had a family history of cardiovascular disease, 20.3%, and 17.3% had a history of significant intake of alcohol and smoking, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of prehypertension in the community was high. It was associated with increasing age, male gender, and increasing BMI. Interventions at this stage may aid in stemming the rising prevalence of hypertension in our environment.