Every year on May 17, people around the world mark World Hypertension Day to increase awareness of the condition as a public health concern.
The day also aims to expand our understanding of hypertension by putting more of an emphasis on researching the conditions’ causes and risk factors. It also emphasises how the medical condition can be properly controlled through lifestyle adjustments and other options.
What is Hypertension?
Hypertension, often known as high blood pressure, is a dangerous condition that happens when our blood vessels are under too much pressure (140/90 mmHg or greater).
It requires immediate treatment because if left untreated, it can escalate to serious and fatal illnesses such as cardiac disease, heart attack, or stroke.
Hypertension is a silent yet deadly public health problem. Today, on World Hypertension Day 2024, we remind all adults to get your blood pressure measured accurately and control it to live longer. Early detection and careful management of hypertension are vital.
Hypertension is a leading risk factor for premature death and disability – in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region especially. Untreated hypertension can lead to serious medical complications such as stroke, heart attack, heart failure, kidney damage, and other debilitating health issues.
In 2019, hypertension was estimated to affect 38% of adults aged 30–79 years in the Region – more than 104 million people. Shockingly, more than half of them (51%) are unaware of their status, and over 60% of the total are not receiving treatment. Just 16% of the total number have their condition under control.
Established risk factors include unhealthy diet (high salt and low fruit and vegetable intake), physical inactivity, tobacco and alcohol use, and obesity. Emerging risk factors include pollution (air, water, noise, light), urbanization and loss of green space.
In humanitarian settings in the Region, such as conflict-affected contexts or areas affected by man-made and natural disasters including climate-related disasters, the burden of hypertension is even worse. This is the result of limited resources, heightened stress levels and inadequate access to health care in such settings.
Urgent action is needed to improve diagnosis, treatment, and control rates to combat the burden of hypertension in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. It’s vital to empower people to accurately measure their blood pressure (or have it measured for them), take control of their health, and embrace lifestyle changes.
