National cross-sectional data on coexisting prehypertension and prediabetes among adults in Ecuador

Abstract

INTRODUCTION The study aimed to estimate the prevalence and associated factors of coexisting prehypertension (PreHTN) and prediabetes (PreDM) among adults in Ecuador. METHODS Cross-sectional data from the Ecuador STEPS 2018 survey were analyzed for 3608 persons, aged 18–69 years (median: 39; IQR: 25), who had complete blood glucose and pressure data, were non-pregnant, without cardiovascular disease, and responded to interview and physical and biomedical measures. RESULTS Of the 3608 individuals, 247 (6.5%) had coexisting PreHTN and PreDM, 1353 (39.9%) had both normoglycemia and normotension, 823 (23.2%) had PreHTN only, and 321 (7.5%) had PreDM only. Compared to the group with both normoglycemia and normotension, older age (50–69 years), male sex, obesity, and elevated total cholesterol (TC) increased the risk, while having secondary education level decreased the risk of coexisting PreHTN and PreDM. Furthermore, compared to the group with both normoglycemia and normotension, older age (50–69 years), male sex, being Afro-Ecuadorian/Mulato, overweight, obesity, and elevated TC increased the risk, while Amerindian ethnicity decreased the risk of PreHTN only. Finally, compared to the group with both normoglycemia and normotension, older age (50–69 years), and elevated TC increased the risk, while being male, and secondary or higher education level decreased the risk of PreDM only. CONCLUSIONS Almost one in ten adults in Ecuador had coexisting PreHTN and PreDM, and several associated factors were identified.