Worldwide, more than 1.2 billion people live with hypertension. That number has doubled in the past thirty years. This is the conclusion of a study led by scientists at Imperial College London. The researchers emphasize that the phenomenon has a major impact on the health of the world population.
Hypertension (high blood pressure) is directly linked to more than 8.5 million deaths per year worldwide. In addition, the condition is also a major risk factor for stroke, ischemic heart disease, other cardiovascular diseases and kidney problems.
Diagnose
“A reduction in blood pressure could reduce the number of heart attacks worldwide by a quarter,” the researchers point out. “In heart failure and strokes, it could even be expected to be halved. In addition, it is very easy to diagnose hypertension, while the condition can also be treated relatively easily with inexpensive drugs.”
“However, it must be noted that the number of patients with hypertension is increasing. In addition, nearly half of people with hypertension worldwide were unaware of their condition two years ago.”
“Even when the condition was diagnosed, it turned out that about half of the affected patients received no treatment. In only one or five men with hypertension, the condition appears to be kept under control. In women, that even increases to a quarter of the population.”
“Despite the medical and pharmacological advances that have been reported in recent decades, the treatment of hypertension has made relatively little progress worldwide,” said study leader Majid Ezzati, a professor of public health at Imperial College London.
“The vast majority of people with hypertension remain untreated. This results in major disadvantages, especially in countries with low and middle incomes.”
Eastern Europe
In Europe, especially countries in eastern regions – such as Hungary, Poland and Croatia – continue to experience high hypertension rates. The study found that in these countries – along with Lithuania, Belarus and Romania – more than half of all women suffered from hypertension. In Western Europe, on the other hand, the prevalence of hypertension an absolute low reaches. This is especially true for Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Spain.
“The results of the study make it clear that heart disease and cardiovascular disease will represent a significant burden of disease worldwide in the coming years,” the researchers warn. “There is also an urgent need for innovative approaches to reduce the burden of hypertension worldwide.”
“More efficient strategies are needed to strengthen diagnosis and treatment. Primary care should be used and new methods should also be used that can involve patients in managing the condition.”
In doing so, the scientists point to the opportunities offered by the digital transformation are offered. These include telemonitoring, applications to measure blood pressure at home, mobile messaging to improve adherence, and other digital health interventions that can encourage healthy behavior and remove barriers to blood pressure monitoring.
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