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Hypertension cases on rise

KARACHI: Hypertension has emerged as the most potent health hazard for the locals increasing at a pace of two percent every year, experts opined at a medical seminar jointly organised by Pakistan Society of Physicians, Pakistan Cardiac Society, Pakistan Medical Association and Pakistan Association of Dermatologists here on Saturday.

National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) Director Dr Azhar Masood A Faruqui in his presentation Hypertension: "Its Prevalence in Pakistan and Associated Risk Factors" referring to recent figures of 12 million hypertensives in the country said this had turned high blood pressure the single most chronic health problem in Pakistan as well as in the entire world.

Hypertension is a major cause of morbidity and second commonest cause of morbidity in most developing countries, the speaker warned.

Citing a Pakistan Medical and Research Council survey, he said 17.9 percent of the population above the age of 15 suffered from hypertension, while one in three persons above the age of 45 was hypertensive.

The senior cardiologist mentioned that most of the locals were unconscious of being inflicted with hypertension or even high blood pressure and were taken aback finding themselves struck with heart attack or relevant cardiac ailments.

"More than two thirds of Pakistani patients are not aware that they are suffering from hypertension," Dr Faruqui said, adding that less than 50 percent of all Pakistani hypertensives have adequately controlled blood pressure.

He also explicitly discussed cardiovascular disease as a manifestation of hypertension. According to the doctor, cardiovascular causes are a major contributor to mortality in Pakistan.

Identified risk factors for hypertension in Pakistan include urban location, increasing age, female sex, being overweight or obese and male of high economic status.

Dr Faruqui was strongly supported by physician Prof Ejaz A Vohra in his presentation.

Dr J W Herzigin in his presentation maintained that prevention and treatment of hypertension and target organ disease remains an important public health challenge that must be addressed.

He said incidence of end stage renal disease and the prevalence of heart failure were increasing, adding that despite various options available to control hypertension cardiovascular mortality and morbidity remains high.

More than 20 senior medical experts deliberated on ailments observed to be increasing at high rates in the country and came forward, on basis of their experience, with recommendations to treat and contain them. More than 700 young doctors and fresh medical graduates attended four different scientific sessions arranged during the day-long programme.

These sessions included focus on hyperlipidaemia, focus on hypertension, focus on skin and immune disorders and difficult to treat medical maladies respectively. APP