Concerned at the rising number of preventable high blood pressure cases, top health experts from three AIIMS –Rishikesh, Jodhpur, and Bhatinda have called for immediate and urgent measures to check hypertension which is the top risk factor for stroke resulting in disability and many times death of the affected patient.
They cited various studies showing that at least 64% of stroke patients have hypertension which is the most prevalent risk factor for the deadly cardiovascular event. With the stroke burden increasing exponentially in the country, the doctors asserted that it is time to focus on hypertension treatment - a prevention strategy that is achievable and can save millions of lives.
Dr Pradeep Aggarwal, Professor, Community Medicine, AIIMS Rishikesh said, “It is time we recognize that hypertension, an easily treatable condition, has far-reaching repercussions. Raised blood pressure can result in stroke which not only causes premature death and life-long disability, it can throw families into irrecoverable financial shocks and loss of income. Increasingly in India, the stroke survivors are a relatively younger population.”
Dr Surender Deora, senior cardiologist, AIIMS Jodhpur warned that severe hypertension has been correlated with a poorer prognosis and even higher mortality in stroke patients. “In the majority of cases, we see that ischaemic stroke is linked to poor control of high blood pressure. What we describe as the stroke burden is not just due to its high mortality rate.”
According to a study on stroke epidemiology in India, the incidence of stroke in South Asian countries has increased by more than 100% in the past 4 decades. By 2050, it is estimated that 80% of the burden of new strokes will be in low and middle-income countries.
Dr Rakesh Kakkar, Professor and Head of Department of Community and Family Medicine, AIIMS Bathinda, said, “Untreated and uncontrolled blood pressure is the most common cause for stroke. Making treatment available and ensuring people adhere to it, can go a long way in strengthening our defense against stroke.”
The AIIMS from Bathinda, Jodhpur, Gorakhpur, and Rishikesh have come together to provide thought leadership on keeping hypertension treatment prioritized as an issue of national importance, supported by Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI).
Although easy to diagnose and simple to treat with low-cost medicines, high blood pressure is now a full-fledged health crisis with at least 1 in 4 adult Indians suffering from this condition. For a nationwide response to meet India’s commitment of 25% relative reduction in the prevalence of high blood pressure by 2025, the India Hypertension Control Initiative (IHCI), a multi-stakeholder initiative led by the Union Health Ministry, WHO, the Indian Council of Research and Resolve to Save Lives (technical partner), has been rolled out in the country and has been so far implemented in 105 districts across 21 states covering 15,000 plus health facilities.
Twenty-five lakh patients with hypertension have been enrolled in the program and they are being followed up to ensure blood pressure control.
Eating less salt, sugar, and saturated fats (mainly from meat and poultry), avoiding artificial trans fats (often found in processed foods that have “hydrogenated” ingredients), consuming more fiber, fruits, and leafy green vegetables, ban smoking, limiting alcohol and regular exercise besides lowering stress can help keep hypertension at bay, suggest doctors.