High blood pressure rates have doubled in the last 30 years

According to a large-scale study published in The Lancet, the number of people with high blood pressure has doubled in the last 30 years.

The scientists analyzed blood pressure (BP) measurements taken over the past 30 years in 200 countries around the world. In total, the researchers studied the results of several million people. It turned out that over the past three decades, among people aged 30 to 79 years, the number of hypertensive patients has increased by 2 times. If in 1990, 331 million women and 317 million men were diagnosed with high blood pressure, then in 2019 there were already 626 million hypertensive patients among women, and 652 million among men.

What is considered high blood pressure

Arterial pressure is the pressure with which blood coming from the heart acts on the walls of blood vessels. This indicator is determined by two numbers: systolic and diastolic. Systolic (upper indicator) is the pressure inside the vessels that occurs during the contraction of the heart muscle. Diastolic (lower indicator) determines the pressure at the moment when the heart muscle is in a relaxed state.

Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury. A blood pressure reading of 120/80 mm Hg is considered normal. Art. If the tonometer shows 140/90 mm Hg. Art. and above, talking about high blood pressure. It is these indicators that the researchers took into account in the course of the mentioned analysis.

Interesting facts discovered during the study

According to the data obtained from the study, the largest number of people with elevated blood pressure is in low- and middle-income countries. The least cases of hypertension were recorded among residents of Canada and Peru.

Many of those who were diagnosed with high blood pressure did not feel abnormal. In 2019, 41% of women and 51% of men who participated in the study did not know they had hypertension.

The results obtained in the course of the study caused concern among specialists, since high blood pressure is dangerous for vital organs. In particular, hypertension increases the risk of dementia, heart failure, and kidney disease.

Why is the number of hypertensive patients increasing?

Despite the fact that scientists during the study did not set themselves the goal of determining the reasons for the increase in the number of hypertensive patients in the world, but analyzing the results, experts put forward several assumptions. First of all, the increase in cases of hypertension may be the result of the aging of the world’s population. In the world, the number of older people who are more at risk of high blood pressure is increasing.

The second reason for the doubling of cases of hypertension in the world may be that in recent years, in most countries, doctors are more closely monitoring changes in the blood pressure of their patients. In addition, blood pressure measurement has become a more accessible service. Therefore, it became possible to examine a larger number of people.

A third plausible reason for the increase in cases of elevated blood pressure is the spread of metabolic diseases such as obesity. In the modern world, people lead a sedentary lifestyle, adhere to malnutrition, which indirectly increases the tendency to hypertension.

Regardless of what caused the increase in blood pressure, this condition is unsafe for humans, as it can lead to stroke, heart attack and a number of other serious diseases.

How to Lower Your Blood Pressure

In the case of diagnosing hypertension, it is extremely important to consult a cardiologist who, based on the patient’s condition, will select the optimal drug program to maintain blood pressure within normal limits. But hypertension is a disease that is best prevented by taking preventive measures.

To minimize the risk of high blood pressure, it is necessary to adhere to a healthy diet – reduce the amount of salt and fat consumed, increase the intake of fruits, vegetables and other plant foods. It is also important to move as much as possible. Walking is the simplest, but also the most effective method of preventing hypertension.

Sources of