Spot maps of population changes in average systolic blood pressure (WHO, 2003)

Remarks

The above data presentation is a reproduction of a figure presented in the WHO MONICA Monograph and Multimedia Sourcebook (WHO, 2003). The WHO MONICA Project is an international collaborative study carried out from the mid 1980s to the mid 1990s.

Data were collected in independent random samples at the beginning and the end (optionally also in the middle) of the ten year survey period.

Standardized survey methods were applied across different populations and over time.

Population-based samples from geographically defined areas in 21 countries have been included in the MONICA Project.

The timing of the initial and final surveys differed by study population. Generally, these surveys were 8 to 10 years apart but the interval could be as little as six years. Calendar years and months varied across study populations.

The map shows changes in average systolic blood pressure between the initial and the final survey for the different MONICA study populations from the geographically defined areas.

Blood pressure measurements were performed by specifically trained observers.

Blood pressure was measured either with a standard mercury sphygmomanometer or with a random-zero sphygmomanometer.

Blood pressure was measured twice on the right upper arm in a sitting position after at least 5 minutes of rest. Blood pressure values were recorded to the nearest 2 mmHg. The mean value of both readings is used for analyses.

Data are age-standardized. For more details see the MONICA project website.