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- Global High Blood Pressure Situation Growing Dire, But Doesn't Have to Be, New Health Report Says
Global High Blood Pressure Situation Growing Dire, But Doesn't Have to Be, New Health Report Says
- By News Hound
- Published 05/17/2007
- Health & Wellness
- Unrated
A Global Call to Action
For nations around the world, the report identifies five priorities for
collective action by governments, voluntary health organizations,
professional societies and healthcare practitioners:
1. Recognize high blood pressure as a global epidemic and a major public
health priority.
2. Achieve global consensus-standard goals for managing high blood
pressure.
3. Empower family doctors and other front-line healthcare professionals as
the first line of global defense against high blood pressure. The
report calls for more effective community prevention and asks that
primary care nurses and other healthcare professionals receive
effective training to play an active role in educating and managing
high blood pressure patients.
4. Provide people with high blood pressure education and treatment options
that take into account the difficulties in adhering to hypertension
regimens.
5. Conduct new, long-term clinical and epidemiological studies to measure
the costs and benefits of achieving a more ambitious blood pressure
treatment goal and to define risk management strategies that address
emerging demographic trends.
A Rise in High Blood Pressure Rates
U.S. government data revealed that high blood pressure is the most
common diagnosis in the country. The latest statistics show that 72 million
- or one in three adults - have high blood pressure. Prevalence rates are
steadily rising, from a rate of 25%, or 50 million adults, between 1988 and
1994 to 29%, or 65 million people, by 2002.
Of special concern are the rising prevalence rates among older women,
ethnic minorities, and even teens. The latest data include the following:
-- More American women have high blood pressure than men -- 39 million
versus 33 million.
-- The condition is 2-3 times more common in women taking oral
contraceptives.
-- African Americans are the most likely to develop high blood pressure
and suffer from it earlier and more severely than any other racial or
ethnic group. Compared with about 30% of whites, the overall rate among
African Americans adults is 41.4% and 44% among African American women.
-- High blood pressure is increasing in U.S. children. A study of teens
with an average age of 13.5 years showed that 19% had high blood pressure after a first screening.
collective action by governments, voluntary health organizations,
professional societies and healthcare practitioners:
1. Recognize high blood pressure as a global epidemic and a major public
health priority.
2. Achieve global consensus-standard goals for managing high blood
pressure.
3. Empower family doctors and other front-line healthcare professionals as
the first line of global defense against high blood pressure. The
report calls for more effective community prevention and asks that
primary care nurses and other healthcare professionals receive
effective training to play an active role in educating and managing
high blood pressure patients.
4. Provide people with high blood pressure education and treatment options
that take into account the difficulties in adhering to hypertension
regimens.
5. Conduct new, long-term clinical and epidemiological studies to measure
the costs and benefits of achieving a more ambitious blood pressure
treatment goal and to define risk management strategies that address
emerging demographic trends.
A Rise in High Blood Pressure Rates
U.S. government data revealed that high blood pressure is the most
common diagnosis in the country. The latest statistics show that 72 million
- or one in three adults - have high blood pressure. Prevalence rates are
steadily rising, from a rate of 25%, or 50 million adults, between 1988 and
1994 to 29%, or 65 million people, by 2002.
Of special concern are the rising prevalence rates among older women,
ethnic minorities, and even teens. The latest data include the following:
-- More American women have high blood pressure than men -- 39 million
versus 33 million.
-- The condition is 2-3 times more common in women taking oral
contraceptives.
-- African Americans are the most likely to develop high blood pressure
and suffer from it earlier and more severely than any other racial or
ethnic group. Compared with about 30% of whites, the overall rate among
African Americans adults is 41.4% and 44% among African American women.
-- High blood pressure is increasing in U.S. children. A study of teens
with an average age of 13.5 years showed that 19% had high blood pressure after a first screening.
