Incidence and associated risk factors of hypertension among apparently healthy adult Filipinos in the LIFECARE Philippine cohort study.

Elmer Jasper B LLANES; Olivia T SISON; Felix Eduardo R PUNZALAN; Jose Eduardo Dl DUYA; Nina T CASTILLO-CARANDANG; Wilbert Allan G GUMATAY; Paulette D NACPIL-DOMINGUEZ; Paul Ferdinand M REGANIT; Rody G SY

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Incidence and associated risk factors of hypertension among apparently healthy adult Filipinos in the LIFECARE Philippine cohort study.

Author: Elmer Jasper B. LLANES ^{1
,

2} ; Olivia T. SISON ^{3
,

4} ; Felix Eduardo R. PUNZALAN ^{1
,

2} ; Jose Eduardo Dl DUYA ⁵ ; Nina T. CASTILLO-CARANDANG ⁴ ; Wilbert Allan G. GUMATAY ² ; Paulette D. NACPIL-DOMINGUEZ ⁶ ; Paul Ferdinand M. REGANIT ¹ ; Rody G. SY ^{1
,

2}
Author Information

1. Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Philippine General Hospital, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila, Metro Manila, NCR, Philippines
2. Section of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Manila Doctors Hospital, Manila, Metro Manila, NCR, Philippines
3. Institute oClinical Epidemiology, National Institutes of Health, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila, Metro Manila, NCR, Philippines
4. Department of Clinical Epidemiology, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila, Metro Manila, NCR, Philippines
5. Section of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Angeles University Foundation Medical Center, Angeles, Pampanga, Region 03, Philippines
6. Section of Endocrinology, Cardinal Santos Medical Center, San Juan, Metro Manila, NCR, Philippines
Publication Type:Journal Article, Original
Keywords: Lifecare Philippines; Filipino
MeSH: Human; Hypertension; Incidence
From: Acta Medica Philippina 2025;59(12):19-27
CountryPhilippines
Language:English
Abstract: OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to estimate the incidence of hypertension and determine the risk factors for hypertension among apparently healthy adult Filipinos.
METHODS
This observational prospective community-based study included apparently healthy adult individuals aged 20–50 years from the Life Course Study in Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology (LIFECARE) Philippine cohort at baseline and followed-up after an average of four years. Sociodemographic data, psychosocial stress, and clinical and metabolic profiles were obtained and analyzed. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with the development of hypertension.
RESULTS
A total of 2,089 non-hypertensive participants were included, with 59% women and average age of 35 years (SD = 8.4). The incidence rate of hypertension was 38.1 per 1,000 person-years. The cumulative incidence of hypertension over a mean follow-up time of four years was 15.4% (95% CI = 13.9–17.0%). The risk of incident hypertension was higher among males (aHR=1.3, 95% CI: 1.0–1.8; p=0.044), ≥40 years old (aHR=3.9, 95% CI: 2.6–5.8; pCONCLUSION
The 4-year incidence rate of hypertension among apparently healthy adult Filipinos is high. Increased age, male sex, family history of hypertension, abdominal obesity, and high normal blood pressure were significantly associated with the development of hypertension.