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 30 August 2008 04:46 BST

High blood pressure at "alarming rate"

Friday, 17 Aug 2007 08:12
More people are being diagnosed with high blood pressure

Health In Focus 

People's relaxed attitudes to high blood pressure are contributing to it spreading at "an alarming rate" worldwide, a leading medical journal has warned.

High blood pressure (hypertension) can lead to heart disease, stroke, renal failure and premature death. In developed countries over 90 per cent of people are at risk of developing it.

Despite this, the Lancet argues that many patients believe it can be easily cured and stop or reduce their medication once levels start to fall.

It claims the disease burden of hypertension is set to increase "massively".

In 2000, the estimated number of adults living with high blood pressure was 972 million and this is expected to increase to 1.56 billion by 2025.

"Lifestyle factors such as physical inactivity, a salt-rich diet with high processed and fatty foods, and alcohol and tobacco use are at the heart of this increased disease burden which is spreading at an alarming rate from developed countries to emerging economies, such as India and China," the Lancet editorial states.

Levels of hypertension will not fall until people realise its impact on the body and follow their prescribed course of action, the authors add.

"Physicians need to convey the message that hypertension is the first, and easily measurable, irreversible sign that many organs in the body are under attack," the editorial concludes.

"Perhaps this message will make people think more carefully about the consequences of an unhealthy lifestyle and give preventative measures a real chance."

The editorial accompanies a seminar published in the journal on hypertension, which concludes that "despite the availability of effective and safe antihypertensive drugs, hypertension and its concomitant risk factors remain uncontrolled in most patients".

Commenting on the claims, Dr Isabel Lee of The Stroke Association said that GPs "need to ensure" patients realise why it is important to continue with their medication.

"Every five minutes someone in the UK has a stroke – that's 150,000 every year. Yet over 40 per cent of these strokes could be prevented by the control of high blood pressure.

"Whilst it is important to get your blood pressure measure regularly, it is equally important that people who are prescribed blood pressure medication, continue to take it even once their blood pressure is back under control.

"People can also take additional steps to help improve their lifestyles and reduce their risk of high blood pressure such as by stopping smoking, having a healthy diet and exercising regularly."

Judy O'Sullivan, cardiac nurse for the British Heart Foundation, added: "Unfortunately people are often unaware of having high blood pressure until it is picked up during a routine assessment. There are usually no symptoms and sadly in some people it's not diagnosed until something as serious, and potentially fatal, as a heart attack or stroke occurs.

"High blood pressure is just one risk factor for disease of the heart and circulation. Everyone over 40 years of age should talk to their GP or practice nurse about having a full risk assessment for heart and circulatory disease carried out."

End of story


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