Arterial hypertension (HTA) is a chronic disease which corresponds to an abnormal increase in blood pressure on the walls of the arteries. About 1 in 3 French people is affected by this pathology which is often silent since it does not cause any symptoms.
According to a new study published this Tuesday, August 24 in the specialized journal The Lancetand carried out by the Imperial College of London (in Great Britain), approximately half of the patients suffering from arterial hypertension in the world are not treated or do not take their treatment for this pathology.
A silent disease but responsible for 8.5 million deaths each year
Thus, 720 million individuals on the planet suffer from high blood pressure without being treated. Problem: high blood pressure is a major cardiovascular risk factor. Untreated patients have an increased risk of heart disease (ischemic heart disease, for example), myocardial infarction (or “heart attack”) and stroke.
Moreover, as the World Health Organization (WHO) points out, “hypertension significantly increases the risk of heart, brain and kidney disease, and is one of the leading causes of death and disease worldwide“. According to the study published in The Lancetarterial hypertension would be responsible for more than 8.5 million deaths in the world each year.
In addition, according to British researchers, arterial hypertension is on the rise in the world: the number of patients has doubled in the space of 30 years, from 650 million in 1990 to 1.28 billion in 2019. The fault, undoubtedly, to the multiplication of risk factors: overweight, sedentary lifestyle, diet too rich in salt and alcohol, etc…
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