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Mortality patterns in hypertension

Hisatomi Arima1, Federica Barzi, John Chalmers

  • 1The George Institute for Global Health, University of Sydney and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW 2050 Australia.

Journal of Hypertension
|December 14, 2011
PubMed

Insights

High blood pressure (hypertension) is a leading global cause of death, particularly in low-income countries. Effective strategies must combine community-level interventions with improved clinical treatments for hypertension.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Cardiology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Raised blood pressure (BP) is a significant global health issue, causing 7.6 million deaths annually and contributing to stroke and coronary heart disease.
  • The burden of high BP and cardiovascular mortality is disproportionately high in low and middle-income countries (LMIC).
  • Cardiovascular mortality continues to rise globally due to aging populations, even as age-specific rates decline in developed nations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the global impact of raised blood pressure as a critical risk factor for mortality.
  • To emphasize the continuous relationship between blood pressure and cardiovascular death, extending below the traditional hypertension threshold.
  • To advocate for integrated strategies to reduce the burden of BP-related deaths.

Main Methods:

  • This study is a review and analysis of global mortality data related to blood pressure.
  • It examines the attributable risk of high BP for major cardiovascular events like stroke and coronary heart disease.
  • The analysis considers trends in both developed and LMIC, factoring in population demographics.

Main Results:

  • Raised blood pressure is the leading risk factor for global mortality, accounting for 13.5% of all deaths.
  • High BP is linked to 54% of stroke cases and 47% of coronary heart disease cases.
  • Even blood pressure levels below the hypertensive threshold contribute to cardiovascular mortality, underscoring hypertension as a 'silent killer'.

Conclusions:

  • Reducing the burden of BP-related deaths necessitates a dual approach: population-level strategies and enhanced clinical treatments.
  • Addressing hypertension requires interventions at both community and individual clinical levels.
  • The continuous relationship between BP and mortality necessitates broader management strategies beyond the traditional hypertensive threshold.

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