Objective

To determine the prevalence and determinants of arterial hypertension in the Venezuelan population.

Methods

A systematic review of the literature was performed in the PubMed and LILACS databases. The inclusion criteria were hypertension, Venezuela and risks. Articles published in any language were chosen, with no time limit.

Results

Out of 90 articles found during the search, only 20 met the inclusion criteria. Most of the data come from studies conducted in the central region of the country. The prevalence of hypertension found in the rural area is 33 %, while it oscillates between 24 and 31 % in the urban area, and 2.5 % in children. The studies showed that modifiable determining factors include obesity and dyslipidemias. In turn, non-modifiable factors include family history, race and age.

Conclusions

Data are insufficient to establish the prevalence of the disease in Venezuela and its determinants. It is recommended to encourage multicenter prevalence studies that cover the entire country. Studies should be regularly done over time (longitudinal studies) to describe the increase or not in prevalence.