High Blood Pressure as a Social and Medical Problem (chapter from the book: “Do you have essential hypertension? Do you know that you always carry natural “medicines” with you …”)

Arterial hypertension is not only a medical problem, but also a serious social one. It affects millions of people around the world and is one of the leading causes of death.

Unfortunately, the arterial hypertension problem cannot be brushed aside, kept silent or ignored for a number of reasons.

Let’s consider arterial hypertension from the following angles.
Medical problem:
– Hypertension leads to heart attacks, strokes, heart and kidney failure.
– Aggravates the course of other diseases, such as diabetes and atherosclerosis.
– Often being asymptomatic, which makes it dangerous if left untreated.
Social problem:
– High costs of treatment and rehabilitation of patients.
– Loss of ability to work, especially in people of working age.
– Increase in disability and decrease in the quality of life of the population.

The number of cases of arterial hypertension among the world’s population is quite significant and continues to grow. WHO (World Health Organization) reports that in 2019, the number of adults with hypertension reached 1.28 billion people, with most of them living in low- and middle-income countries.
Imagine this again: WHO reports that in 2019, the number of adults with hypertension reached 1.28 billion people. Not every country has that many people.

Arterial hypertension (AH) began to be regarded as a serious medical and social problem in the 1950s and 1960s of the 20th century, when data began to accumulate on its connection with strokes, heart attacks and mortality. It seems strange that medicine seems to be developing, achieving success, people’s well-being is growing, but at the same time the number of cases of hypertension is increasing.

Doesn’t it seem to you, dear reader, that we, people, as a community with our own rules and approaches to life, are going in the wrong direction? Maybe we are missing something?

Here’s more information: arterial hypertension (AH) is one of the leading risk factors for mortality worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cardiovascular diseases, where hypertension is the main pathology, are the cause of 31.5% of all deaths worldwide (taken from: https://therapy-journal.ru/ru/archive/article/42411).

Arterial hypertension (AH) can lead to serious complications, affecting various organs and systems of the body.

Here are the main severe consequences of AH:

Stroke – due to high blood pressure, cerebral vessels can rupture (hemorrhagic stroke) or become blocked (ischemic stroke), which leads to disability or death.

Myocardial infarction – chronically high blood pressure overloads the heart, contributing to the development of atherosclerosis and ischemic heart disease, which can lead to an acute heart attack.

Heart failure – hypertension makes the heart work with increased load, which over time leads to weakening of the heart muscle and a decrease in its contractility.

Renal failure – damage to the renal vessels due to hypertension reduces their filtration function, which can lead to chronic renal failure.

Hypertensive encephalopathy – cerebrovascular accident due to high blood pressure can cause headaches, decreased cognitive function, and even dementia.

Vascular aneurysms – chronic pressure weakens the walls of blood vessels, which can lead to the formation of aneurysms (for example, an aortic aneurysm), which can rupture and cause internal bleeding.

Hypertensive retinopathy – damage to the blood vessels of the retina, which can lead to deterioration of vision and blindness.

All these complications make arterial hypertension one of the most dangerous chronic diseases that require timely monitoring and treatment. As you can see, this problem cannot be pushed under the couch.

Let’s take a look at how the situation with cardiovascular diseases has developed historically.
The increase in cases of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in the world began in the mid-20th century and continues to this day. Doctors associate this with changes in lifestyle, increased obesity, decreased physical activity and other factors.
Historical context:
20th century: In the mid-20th century, a significant increase in cardiovascular diseases began, especially in developed countries.

Late 20th – early 21st century: By the end of the 20th century, CVD had become the leading cause of death worldwide. According to WHO, by 2016, about 17 million people died from CVD annually.

Present: Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death worldwide. According to WHO estimates for 2019, at least 17 million people also died from these diseases.
As you can see, the numbers are quite frightening. The figure of 17 million people is the population of a single country.

Here’s what doctors say about the situation with the presence of arterial hypertension throughout life.
Let’s look at the likelihood of developing hypertension with age:
Under 40 years – the risk of developing hypertension is relatively low, but risk factors such as obesity, smoking, and poor nutrition may occur.
40-59 years – the likelihood of developing hypertension begins to increase, especially in people with high stress levels, a sedentary lifestyle, and excess weight.
60 years and older – more than half of people in this age group have hypertension. Due to the natural aging of blood vessels, arterial hypertension is becoming very common. In addition, in old age, isolated systolic hypertension is often observed, in which only the upper (systolic) pressure increases, while the lower (diastolic) pressure may remain normal.
Additional data:
At the age of 60 and older, approximately 60-70% of people develop hypertension.
In people over 65 years of age, the probability of hypertension can reach 70-80%. I think it should be clear that knowing the methods of prevention and regular monitoring of blood pressure (BP) are of great importance, especially in the context of preventing hypertension and its complications.

Key points on why it is important to control your blood pressure:
Early detection – hypertension often has no obvious symptoms, but can gradually damage blood vessels and organs such as the heart, kidneys, and brain. Early detection allows you to begin treatment and prevent complications.
Prevention of cardiovascular diseases – high blood pressure is a major risk factor for myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure, and other diseases. Controlling your blood pressure reduces the risk of these dangerous diseases.
Prevention of kidney failure – hypertension can damage the blood vessels in the kidneys, which can lead to kidney failure. Regular monitoring and treatment of blood pressure helps reduce this risk.
Prevention of vision loss – hypertension can damage the blood vessels in the retina (hypertensive retinopathy), which can lead to vision loss and even blindness. Quality of life management – ​​proper management of arterial hypertension helps improve quality of life, reduce stress levels and reduce symptoms such as headaches, fatigue and dizziness.
Prevention of complications – regular monitoring and prevention of hypertension can prevent the development of serious conditions such as stroke or heart attack, which significantly reduces the risk of disability and premature death.

(to be continued…)