Objective To determine the repercussion of Hypertension (H) on general mortality in Venezuela during the period: 2003–2007.

Methods Data obtained of Health Ministry, surged of the death certificates, selecting all codes associated with H mortality and heart diseases mortality (HD) [10th Review]. The HD and H mortality rates were calculated for each studied year and were expressed as the mean of the period. The repercussion of H mortality on HD mortality and general mortality was estimated using the proportionate rates.

Results The general mean H mortality rates were 32.15, 31.91 and 32.93 per 100 000 populations for all subjects, males and females respectively. The age-adjusted H mortality rates for each studied year were: for males 673.66, 612.76, 694.10, 609.3 and 448.89 per 100 000 populations and for females, 842.82, 927.25, 836.29, 794.79 and 1090.61 per 100 000 populations. The mean proportionate rate of H (all codes associated) on the general mortality was 7.05% and H mortality (I11–I13 codes only) on HD mortality was 24.92%.

Conclusions H mortality show a high repercussion on both general and HD mortality in Venezuela. Females show a higher tendency to dye for H. Non-systematic observations permit to think in the presence of underestimate values for the H, besides the procedures used for the selection of the underlying cause of death, lead to the exclusion of pathologies with H ethiology, being probable that the true repercussion of H on general mortality be higher than the national mortality data permits to know.