Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
A World Health Organization report shows that millions of people die prematurely due to high blood pressure. Worldwide, one in five people has high blood pressure and seeks to control it with medication or by addressing health risks.
As a result, millions of people die prematurely, and countries suffer huge economic losses, according to a report issued by the World Health Organization and published by European media in the Belgian capital, Brussels. Newsblad reported, "High blood pressure is a major cause of heart attacks, strokes, chronic kidney disease, and dementia. 1.4 billion people worldwide suffer from this condition. It is preventable and treatable. But this is not happening in many countries, and millions of people will die prematurely." The World Health Organization warns that these countries will also face increasing economic losses. Cardiovascular diseases, including high blood pressure, are expected to cost low- and middle-income countries nearly US$3.7 trillion, equivalent to about 2% of the gross domestic product of the countries concerned, between 2011 and 2025.
"More than 1,000 people die every hour from strokes and heart attacks caused by high blood pressure, and most of these deaths are due to heart failure," explains Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization. It is preventable,” he adds. “Countries have the means to change this situation. With political will and deepened investments and reforms in health care, we can save millions of lives.
The report adds that countries committed to combating high blood pressure are making progress, but many low- and middle-income countries are still lagging behind.
In addition, the report notes significant gaps in diagnosis, treatment, and long-term care. These challenges include limited access to blood pressure monitors, a lack of standardized treatment protocols, and a lack of trained primary health care teams. Furthermore, not all the medicines recommended by the World Health Organization are available in low-income countries. Only 28% of low-income countries report having all medicines available, compared to 93% of high-income countries.
"Safe, effective, and affordable medicines are available to control blood pressure, but too many people lack access to them," said Dr. Tom Frieden, president and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives, an organization that contributed to the report. "Closing this gap could save lives and billions of dollars annually."
Last May, the same newspaper, Newsblade, published a report on this issue, saying, " 2.5 million Belgians suffer from high blood pressure, a population of just over 11 million. That's why Dr. Edouard Bennett, a cardiologist at Gesa Hospital in Hasselt, has called for every Belgian family to have their own blood pressure monitor.