WHO: More than one in three adults aged 30–79 has hypertension
Hypertension, the 'silent killer', continues to kill thousands of people daily. Here is how you can live a healthier life to avoid dying from it.
Hypertension does not always show physical symptoms, yet it causes serious, often irreversible bodily harm and it can even kill you.
A report by the World Health Organisation on 15 May 2024 states that 'more than one in three adults aged 30–79 has hypertension, the medical term for high blood pressure'.
Other stats by the WHO:
- High blood pressure is the leading risk factor for death and disability in the European Region.
- It causes almost a quarter of deaths and 13% of disability.
- It usually has no symptoms, and if it remains uncontrolled it can have potentially devastating consequences such as heart attacks and strokes.
- The European Region has the highest blood pressure prevalence in the world.
It links the high intake of salt to an increased risk of developing hypertension.
"High salt intake raises blood pressure, which is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes," states the report.
Apart from limiting the daily intake of salt to 2,000 mg a day, there are other things one can do to reduce the risk of suffering from hypertension or cardiovascular diseases.
“CVDs and hypertension are largely preventable – and controllable,” said Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe.
“Four million, a staggering figure, is the number of deaths caused by cardiovascular diseases every single year – primarily in men, particularly in the eastern part of our WHO region. These are the facts, but this is something we can change."
"We know what works, but time and time again, we fall short of implementing evidence-based approaches, resulting in unacceptably high levels of avoidable deaths. Implementing targeted policies to reduce salt intake by 25% could save an estimated 900 000 lives from CVDs by 2030,” he added.
READ: You could have high blood pressure and not know it
The World Health Organisation suggests the following lifestyle changes to manage high blood pressure:
- Reducing salt intake.
- Eating more fruit and vegetables.
- Being physically active on a regular basis.
- Avoiding use of tobacco.
- Reducing alcohol consumption.
- Limiting the intake of foods high in saturated fats.
- Eliminating/reducing trans fats in diet.
READ: Preventing and managing high blood pressure aka the 'Silent Killer'
Disclaimer: Health-related information provided in this article is not a substitute for medical advice and should not be used to diagnose or treat health problems. It is always advisable to consult with your doctor on any health-related issues.
More From Jacaranda FM
Image courtesy of iStock/ @Jacob Wackerhausen