While high blood pressure kills 8.5 million people worldwide each year, a WHO-funded study conducted by Imperial College London finds that more than half of people with hypertension in the world do not take treatment.
580 million people worldwide have hypertension without knowing it
High blood pressure is characterized by an abnormally high pressure of blood on the lining of the arteries. We speak of hypertension above 140 mmHg for systolic pressure (when the heart contracts) and 90 mmHg for diastolic (when the heart relaxes). Because it usually does not come with any symptoms, hypertension is not always correctly diagnosed and many people with the condition are unaware of their condition. This is precisely what a study funded by the WHO and conducted by Imperial College London, whose objective was to measure the prevalence of hypertension in the world, revealed.
According to the results of the study published on August 24 in the journal The Lancet, researchers estimate that 580 million people worldwide have hypertension without knowing it. In total, the study identifies more than 720 million people, or half of hypertensive people in the world, who do not take treatment. In addition, by analyzing the progress of its detection, treatment and control from 1990 to 2019 for 200 countries and territories, the researchers revealed that the number of people with hypertension in the world has doubled in 30 years, rising from 650 million in 1990 to 1.28 billion in 2019. It should be noted, however, that this increase in absolute value is also linked to the increase in the world population and its aging.
8.5 million deaths worldwide each year from high blood pressure
According to study data, there are more than 8.5 million deaths worldwide each year directly related to high blood pressure. According to scientists, acting on this parameter could reduce the number of heart attacks by 20 to 25% and the number of strokes by 35 to 40%. In fact, hypertension exposes people with serious cardiovascular problems. In a press release, the WHO explains that “ hypertension significantly increases the risk of heart, brain and kidney disease, and is one of the leading causes of death and disease worldwide “.
Faced with this fact, Professor Majid Ezzati, the main author of the study, deplores the lack of action. He thus declared: ” While hypertension is easy to diagnose and treat with low-cost drugs, it is a public health defeat that so many people around the world are still not getting the treatment they need. “. In this sense, the WHO has published new recommendations for health professionals to better diagnose and treat hypertension. She thus recalls the importance of a healthy lifestyle to prevent hypertension, namely: eat less salt, consume more fruits and vegetables, practice regular physical activity and reduce tobacco and alcohol.
