Hypertension affects one in three adults worldwide – WHO report

Four out of every five people with hypertension worldwide do not receive proper care, according to the World Health Organization’s first-ever report on the deadly effects of high blood pressure, which was published on Tuesday.

According to the analysis, four out of every five people with hypertension are not receiving proper care. However, if countries can increase their coverage, between 2023 and 2050, 76 million fatalities might be avoided.

According to the study, hypertension affects one in three people globally and is a major cause of kidney damage, heart attack, stroke, and other serious health issues.

The report reads, “The number of people living with hypertension (blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg or higher or taking medication for hypertension) doubled between 1990 and 2019, from 650 million to 1.3 billion. Nearly half of people with hypertension globally are currently unaware of their condition. More than three-quarters of adults with hypertension live in low- and middle-income countries.

“Older age and genetics can increase the risk of having high blood pressure, but modifiable risk factors such as eating a high-salt diet, not being physically active, and drinking too much alcohol can also increase the risk of hypertension.

“Lifestyle changes like eating a healthier diet, quitting tobacco, and being more active can help lower blood pressure. Some people may need medicines that can control hypertension effectively and prevent related complications”, it noted.

According to the report, countries should prioritize the prevention, early identification, and efficient management of hypertension as part of their national health benefit packages provided at the primary care level. These measures are among the most cost-effective health care interventions.

It claimed that the financial advantages of enhanced hypertension treatment programs outweigh the expenditures by a factor of roughly 18 to 1.

“Hypertension can be controlled effectively with simple, low-cost medication regimens, and yet only about one in five people with hypertension have controlled it,” said the WHO Director General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus.

“Hypertension control programmes remain neglected, under-prioritised and vastly underfunded.

“Strengthening hypertension control must be part of every country’s journey towards universal health coverage, based on well-functioning, equitable and resilient health systems, built on a foundation of primary health care.”

The report is being released during the 78th session of the UN General Assembly, which examines the advancement of the Sustainable Development targets, including the health targets of eliminating tuberculosis, achieving universal health coverage, and being prepared for and responding to pandemics. Progress in all of these will depend on better hypertension prevention and management.

“Most heart attacks and strokes in the world today can be prevented with affordable, safe, accessible medicines and other interventions, such as sodium reduction,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, WHO Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries. Treating hypertension through primary health care will save lives and billions of dollars a year.”