Hypertension is often called the 'silent killer' - silent because it has few symptoms - killer because uncontrolled hypertension is associated with an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. This week's edition of The Lancet contains a review of the global burden of hypertension. Worldwide, 7.6 million premature deaths were attributed to hypertension in 2001 - the year for which the latest figures are available. About 54% of stroke and 47% of ischaemic heart disease were associated with hypertension. About half of this was the result of clinically diagnosed hypertension - the rest to different degrees of high blood pressure. About 80% of this disease and premature death occured in low-income and middle-income economies and over half was in people aged between 45 and 69 years - a good proportion of anyone's economically active life. We tend to think only about infectious diseases such as TB and HIV as problem areas in the developing world, but the burden of so-called lifestyle diseases is rising - and rising fast. The age-specific stroke rate in Tanzania is about three to six times that in Britain, for example. Cardiovascular disease also occurs at much younger ages in the developing world - 52% of deaths from these disorders occurs before the age of 70 in India, compared with 23% in established market economies. Prevention strategies are needed urgently - and ones that target the whole population, not just those who are known to already have hypertension.
Bridget Farham Editor https://www.bizcommunity.com