Know Your Numbers and Target Your Blood Pressure
Introduction
Blood pressure is the force applied against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps blood through the body. Hypertension is a chronic medical condition in which the average blood pressure is elevated.
Hypertension may affect men and women from any racial background or age category. The incidence rates of hypertension across a given population group may range from between 10% to 40%.
Globally, 7 million people die and 1.5 billion suffer every year because of high blood pressure or hypertension. Incidence of cases of high blood pressure had reached 26.1% in 2007, based on a study conducted on 17,230 people.
Each year, May 17th is designated World Hypertension Day, which promotes awareness of the prevention, detection, control, treatment and complications of hypertension.
Official Date
May 17, 2011, corresponding to Jamadi Thani 14, 1432 H.
World Hypertension Day’s 2011 Theme
Know Your Numbers and Target Your Blood Pressure
Targeted Categories
- Hypertension patients
- General public
Objectives
To inform the public about hypertension, including:
- Causes
- Symptoms
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Prevention
- Highlight the incidence of preventable strokes, heart and kidney disease caused by high blood pressure
- The importance of measuring blood measure regularly at home or in hospital
Logo (2011)
Related Links - www.who.int
- www.mayoclinic.com
- American Heart Association