Abstract: Objective To investigate the prevalence and distribution characteristics of hypertension combined with diabetes among the elderly people in Nanjing. Methods From April to October 2017, 20 883 regular residents aged ≥60 years old were selected in Nanjing by multistage stratified cluster sampling method, and they were investigated by general information questionnaire, physical examination and laboratory examination. The outcome variables were diagnosed and newly-identified hypertension and diabetes. The differences in the prevalence of hypertension and diabetes among the different sub-populations were analyzed. Results The prevalence of hypertension and diabetes in the elderly population of Nanjing was 59.0% (95%CI:0.584-0.597) and 28.7% (95%CI:0.281-0.293), respectively; While the prevalence of comorbidity of hypertension and diabetes was 20.7% (95%CI:0.202-0.213). There were significant differences in the prevalence of comorbidity of hypertension and diabetes among the elderly with different age, gender, place of residence, body mass index (BMI), education level, ethnicity, physical activity situation and medical insurance types (P<0.05). Among the newly discovered patients with the comorbidity of hypertension and diabetes, there were significant difference in the prevalence among the elderly with different place of residence, BMI and medical insurance types (P<0.05). Conclusions The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes and their co-morbidities are high in the elderly population of Nanjing. We should pay attention to the elderly who live in urban, being overweight or obese and using employee medical insurance.

Key words: hypertension, diabetes, comorbidity, aged, epidemiological characteristics