Objective

To estímate the prevalence of self-reported arterial hypertension (AH) and the use of medications in older Brazilians (≥65 years) according to sociodemographic characteristics, and to evaluate the use of health services and recommendations of a doctor/health professional for the control of the disease.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional population-based study with data from the National Health Survey 2013 (n=7.712).

Results

Prevalence of AH was 54.1%, with a difference between genders. In men, the prevalence of the disease was higher in the South and Southeast regions, and in women it was higher in the subgroups of 75-79 years old and with less education. The use of medication for AH was reported by 91.7%, with no difference between genders. Women were diagnosed earlier (≤39 years) than men (≥65 years).

Conclusion

Regarding recommendations on care practices, maintaining a healthy diet and eating less salt were more frequently observed in women. The results highlight the need to promote self-care, especially in men.