High Blood Pressure: The World's Biggest Killer; WHO Prepares to Combat It

The World Health Organization is ready to combat high blood pressure, the deadliest disease in the world. This UN health agency has presented its first plan to overcome high blood pressure, which affects one in three adults globally. Statistics from the organization show that the number of cases has doubled since 1990, now reaching 1.3 billion people. According to a report from the science and technology news site 'Wired', high blood pressure may seem like a disease of wealthy countries, but in a report published on Tuesday, September 19, during the UN General Assembly, the WHO announced that three-quarters of those with high blood pressure live in low- and middle-income countries. The report states that nearly half of them are unaware that they have high blood pressure, which can lead to heart attacks, kidney disease, and strokes; and four-fifths of them, including those with the disease and those who are unaware of it, do not receive adequate treatment. The WHO stated that if this situation can be improved, 76 million lives could be saved between now and 2050. Tedros Adhanom, the WHO Director-General, during a press conference in New York, mentioned his own high blood pressure, which he controls with medication, saying, 'There are some health problems (diseases) for which we do not have knowledge or effective tools. High blood pressure is not one of them. We have the necessary tools. Every country can do more to utilize these tools.' High blood pressure can have various causes and may differ by region, including excessive salt intake, alcohol consumption, tobacco use, breathing polluted air, and lack of exercise. There are simple solutions to treat high blood pressure, even if achieving ideal blood pressure may be challenging. These solutions include dietary modifications, providing affordable medications, and establishing healthcare and educational systems that can identify and monitor high blood pressure in individuals.