Studies on the prevalence of renal disease and hypertension in relation to schistosomiasis. IV. Systemic blood pressure hypertension and related features.

Two comparable rural communities but with varying endemicity of urinary schistosomiasis in environs of Ibadan, Nigeria, have been studied by a total cross-sectional population survey. It has been found that:- (i) schistosomiasis does not predispose to raised blood pressure (ii) both diastolic and systolic blood pressure increase with age. (iii) prevalence of systemic hypertension is higher in females than males (iv) body weight and height are related to hypertension in both males and females (v) parity would seem to be related to hypertension in the females (vi) except in the younger female group (1--19 years) where polyuria, frontal headache, palpitations appear related to systolic hypertension, raised blood pressure would appear to have no symptoms. In particular headache in any part of the head bears no clear relationship. (vii) The majority of hypertensives would appear to belong to the primary variety but proteinuria among females has been found to be significantly related to hypertension.