Prevalence and risk factors of constipation in hypertensive patients in Jinshan District, Shanghai

ObjectiveTo investigate the prevalence of constipation in hypertension patients in Shihua Street, Jinshan District, Shanghai and to analyze the related risk factors in this regard.

MethodsA sample questionnaire was conducted for hypertension patients registered and managed in the Shihua Street, and general information from the subjects was collected, including items as age, gender, BMI, education background, diet, living alone, smoking, drinking, diet and taste, family history of constipation, history of abdominal surgery, complications, etc.Patients with secondary hypertension and severe complications were excluded.Constipation was diagnosed according to Roman Ⅲ diagnostic criteria.A total of 2 689 valid questionnaires were recovered.

ResultsThe prevalence of constipation in hypertensive patients was 16.1%.Logistic regression analysis showed the incidence of constipation was positively correlated with old age, female, obesity, smoking, irregular exercise, irregular meals, family history of constipation, concomitant with other chronic diseases, and history of abdominal surgery while educational background, diet, drinking history, family history of hypertension, regular use of antihypertensive drugs, etc, proved to have nothing to do with constipation incidence.

ConclusionThe prevalence of constipation is high in hypertensive patients in Jinshan District, Shanghai and the incidence proves to be related to old age, female sex, obesity, smoking, irregular exercise, irregular meals, family history of constipation, concomitant with other chronic diseases, and history of abdominal surgery.