Written By: Longjam Dineshwori | Updated : May 10, 2022 11:34 AM IST
High blood pressure or hypertension is a serious medical condition that can increase the risks of heart, brain, kidney and other diseases. Sadly, the condition is becoming more common among adults, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. According to WHO, an estimated 1.28 billion adults aged 30-79 years worldwide have hypertension, with two-thirds of these patients living in low- and middle-income countries. In India, at least one in four adults have hypertension, revealed a report released on Monday.
However, only about 10 per cent of these patients have their blood pressure under control, noted the India Hypertension Control Initiative report.
The report, released by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director General, Dr Balram Bhargava, emphasised at making hypertension a national priority.
The India Hypertension Control Initiative (IHCI) is a multi-partner initiative launched by the ICMR, in collaboration with WHO Country Office for India and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in November 2017. It aims to accelerate the implementation of quality hypertension treatment and prevent deaths from heart attack, stroke and kidney failure.
In the first year, the program covered 26 selected districts of the country in the states of Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Telangana, and Maharashtra. By October 2021, it was expanded to 100 districts across 19 states.
As part of the program, they compared the key indicators in 2020 and 2021 for the initial 26 Phase I districts.
The report stated the quarterly cohort blood pressure control rates declined in the second and third quarters of 2020 due to Covid-19-related disruptions, then it started improving in the first quarter of 2021.
Below are some key findings highlighted in the report:
As per the report, six districts achieved more than 10 per cent community level BP control. However, the numbers of patients with controlled BP declined in Kerala, apparently due to poor documentation during the pandemic and inability to provide medication refills at the subcentre level.
The report also highlighted some scalable key strategies to ensure treatment and control of high BP, including patient centred care, standard treatment protocols, access to drugs, and simple information system.
Because hypertension may have no warning signs or symptoms, most adults with the condition are unaware of the problem. Thus, hypertension is called a "silent killer". So, it is essential that blood pressure is measured regularly.
When symptoms do occur, one may experience early morning headaches, nosebleeds, irregular heart rhythms, vision changes, and buzzing in the ears. In severe case, hypertension can cause fatigue, nausea, vomiting, confusion, anxiety, chest pain, and muscle tremors, as stated by WHO.
The UN health agency noted that although individuals can measure their own blood pressure using automated devices, an evaluation by a health professional is important for assessment of risk and associated conditions.
