leaflet burden hbp whd 2013

WORLD HEALTH DAY

2013

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE Global and Regional Overview
GLOBAL BURDEN


High blood pressure is one of the most important
causes of premature death worldwide killing
nearly 9.4 million people every year globally,
and the problem is growing.



Over 1 billion people are living with high blood
pressure. In 2008, globally, the overall
prevalence of high blood pressure (including
those on medication for high blood pressure) in
adults aged 25 and above was around 40%.
Among all WHO regions, the prevalence of

raised blood pressure was highest in the African
Region (46%) and lowest in the Region of the
Americas (35%). In the South-East Asia Region,
36% of adults have hypertension.

In all WHO regions, males had a slightly higher
prevalence of raised blood pressure than
females, but this difference was only statistically
significant in the Region of the Americas and the
European Region.



The prevalence of raised blood pressure in low,
lower-middle and upper-middle income countries
is higher (40%) than in high-income countries
(35%).




In high-income countries, strong public health
policies, multisectoral preventive action and
widely available diagnosis and treatment have
led to a reduction in the prevalence of high
blood pressure. In contrast, in many developing
countries the disease burden caused by raised
blood pressure has increased over the past
decade.

Age-standardized prevalence of raised blood pressure in adults
aged 25+ years by WHO Region, 2008
50

46.7
44.6

Males

44.5
39.0


40

41.0
38.6

40.3
37.1

37.3
34.9

34.7

40.6
35.8

31.5
Per cent






30

20

10

0
African
Region

European South-East
Eastern
Region
Asia Region
Mediterranean Region
of the

Region
Americas

Western
Pacific
Region

Global

Source: Global status report on noncommunicable diseases, 2010. Geneva, World Health Organization 2011.

BLOOD PRESSURE — TAKE CONTROL

Females

High Blood Pressure — Global and Regional Overview

BURDEN IN THE SOUTH-EAST ASIA
REGION



High blood pressure is the leading risk factor for
death claiming 1.5 million lives each year in the
Region.



One in three adults in the Region has high blood
pressure.



Males have a slightly higher prevalence of high
blood pressure than females in almost all
countries of the Region.



In the 10 countries from which data were
available, the prevalence of high blood pressure

ranged from 19% in Democratic People’s
Republic of Korea to 42% in Myanmar.



Prevalence of hypertension is increasing in many
countries in the Region. In India, raised blood
pressure increased from 5% in the 1960s to
nearly 12% in 1990s, to more than 30% in
2008. In Indonesia, the percentage of adult
population with raised blood pressure increased
from 8% in 1995 to 32% in 2008. In Myanmar,
the Ministry of Health reported an increase in
high blood pressure prevalence, from 18% to
31% in males, and from 16% to 29% in females
during 2004–2009.



Ageing population, rapid urbanization and

transition from agrarian life to a wage-earning,
modern city life are reported as major
contributors to increased blood pressure in urban
areas.

Age-standardized prevalence of raised blood pressure in adults
aged 25+ years, South-East Asia Region, 2008
50

Males
44.3

42.7
40.4

Per cent

40

39.8


39.2

37.4

36.0

36.0
34.2

37.0 20.5

32.9

31.6

29.7

30


Females

41.9

26.2

20

20.5
20.1

20.4
17.1

Thailand

Sri Lanka

Nepal


Myanmar

Maldives

Indonesia

India

DPR Korea

Bhutan

0

Bangladesh

10

Source: WHO. Noncommunicable diseases in the South-East Asia Region: Situation and response 2011. New Delhi, World Health
Organization 2011.

WORLD HEALTH DAY | 2013