Descriptive hospital-based cross-sectional study of hypertension in Ali Abad Teaching Hospital

(Place and time of Research: Kabul, 1402–1403 Hijri)

Abstract

Background and Objective: Hypertension (HTN) is diagnosed when blood pressure is ≥140/90 mmHg in two consecutive measurements taken in a calm environment after at least five minutes of rest in a seated position. HTN is a major public health problem that contributes significantly to mortality, disability, hospital admissions, prolonged hospital stays, and increased healthcare costs. Several factors are associated with hypertension, which are broadly classified into non-modifiable factors (such as age, gender, family history, diabetes, and kidney disease) and modifiable factors (including unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, smoking, alcohol consumption, and obesity). The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of hypertension among hospitalized patients at Ali Abad Teaching Hospital and to identify the key risk factors associated with HTN.

Method: This descriptive hospital-based cross-sectional study included 246 hypertensive patients. Data were collected over a 12-month period from September 2024 to August 2025 using medical records of patients hospitalized in Ali Abad Teaching Hospital. The inclusion criteria consisted of all male and female inpatients admitted to the internal medicine department, while patients with hypertension who visited the hospital but were not hospitalized were excluded.

Findings/Result: A total of 2,877 patients were included in the study, among whom 246 patients (8.55%) were diagnosed with hypertension. Of these patients, 88 (35.77%) were male and 158 (64.22%) were female. More than half of the hypertensive patients (51.21%) were between 40 and 60 years old. Regarding smoking status, 43 patients (17.47%) were smokers and 203 (82.52%) were non-smokers. A positive family history of hypertension was reported by 45 patients (18.29%), while the majority had unknown family history. In terms of body mass status, 18 patients were obese and 29 were overweight, whereas most patients had normal body weight.

Conclusion: The prevalence of hypertension among hospitalized patients was 8.55%, with a higher proportion observed in women. The findings suggest that smoking and family history are among the most common risk factors for hypertension. Female gender, obesity, and increasing age were also identified as notable contributing factors.