Know Your Numbers on World Hypertension Day 17th May 2017

The theme for World Hypertension Day 2017 is ‘Know Your Numbers’ – an appeal to the general population to seek to have their blood pressure level checked and to understand the reading and the actions they should take.

World Hypertension Day is a global, annual initiative of the World Hypertension League (WHL), which is an affiliation of the International Society of Hypertension (ISH).

Hypertension (or high blood pressure) is the greatest risk factor for cardiovascular disease. There is a direct link between elevated blood pressure and a 4-fold increased risk of stroke or a 2-fold increased risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack).

Hypertension is a growing epidemic. With a global estimate of 972 million living with high blood pressure in 2002, this figure has been projected to rise to 1.56 billion by 2025! This is a major public health concern since related risk factors, such as obesity, high blood lipids (cholesterol) and diabetes mellitus also remain uncontrolled in many patients.

It is a frustration that while antihypertensive treatment is both effective and cost-effective, compliance is poor. Blood pressure awareness, adopting a healthy lifestyle and adhering to prescribed treatment for hypertension are key to preventing and controlling what the World Health Organization (WHO) have termed, this ‘silent killer’.

World Hypertension Day serves to impress upon the general public the value in recognising high blood pressure as the first sign that many organs in the body are under threat and to react responsibly. This is a call to action to ‘Know Your Numbers’!