WASHINGTON — High blood pressure remains a real and growing problem that, if left untreated, could increase in prevalence by 60% over the next 2 decades, Dr. Richard Roberts said at a press briefing.
“If action is not taken soon … there will be significant public health consequences,” said Dr. Roberts, a family physician and professor in the department of family medicine at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
He spoke on behalf of a coalition of 14 medical groups and voluntary health organizations that commissioned a report to compile the latest information about high blood pressure and its impact on health care systems. The report, “High Blood Pressure and Health Policy: Where We Are and Where We Need to Go Next,” serves as a call to action for health policy makers and physicians.
Citing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the report notes that the prevalence of high blood pressure in adults in the United States increased from 25% in 1988–1994 to 29% in 1999–2002. In addition, the growing problem of high blood pressure in children is expected to contribute to the overall increase in prevalence over the next 20 years.
The report, which was sponsored by an unrestricted educational grant from Novartis AG, calls for an international effort to address five public policy goals:
▸ Recognize that high blood pressure is a global health priority.
▸ Achieve global consensus on standards for managing high blood pressure.
▸ Empower primary care physicians to be the first lines of defense against high blood pressure on a global level.
▸ Educate patients about treatment options and acknowledge the difficulties of adhering to lifestyle and medication regimens.
▸ Conduct long-term clinical and epidemiologic studies on the costs and benefits of treating high blood pressure based on emerging trends and scientific research.
Losing weight and becoming more active are among the best ways to prevent hypertension, especially for young people. But for many, regular medication may be necessary to keep their blood pressure at a healthy level, said Dr. Michael A. Weber, chair of the American Society of Hypertension's Specialist Program and one of the coauthors of the report, at the briefing. Patients also need to understand that the only way to know if they have high blood pressure is to have it measured, he said. “It is a totally asymptomatic condition.”
Treating high blood pressure could reduce the probability of heart attacks by 40%–50%, the incidence of stroke, and the number of patients requiring kidney dialysis, added Dr. Weber, professor of medicine at the State University of New York, Brooklyn. He is a consultant for several pharmaceutical companies, including Novartis.