HYPERTENSION (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – HEALTH)

Context: Recently, a district-level study on hypertension in India, conducted by AIIMS Delhi and scientists from Europe and the US, revealed significant disparities in care. The findings, published in JAMA Network, utilized hypertension data from NFHS-5, the fifth round report of which was released in May 2022.

Key Points of Report

• In Karnataka, four districts — Chikmagalur, Shimoga, Udupi and Chitradurga — have a similar prevalence of hypertension, but the proportion of participants diagnosed and treated in Chikmagalur and Udupi was higher.
• In Meghalaya, the five districts of Garo Hills, the two districts of Jaintia Hills and the three districts of Khasi Hills all have a similar prevalence of hypertension, but the proportion of those diagnosed is much lower in Garo Hills than in Jaintia Hills and Khasi Hills.
• According to a recent WHO report, 188.3 million people in India suffer from hypertension but only 37% get diagnosed, only 30% start treatment, and only 15% manage to keep their blood pressure under control.
• It estimated that at least 4.6 million deaths in India can be prevented by 2040 if half of those with the condition manage to keep their blood pressure under control.

Hypertension

• About: Hypertension, or high blood pressure, occurs when the pressure in your blood vessels exceeds 140/90 mmHg. If left untreated, it can pose serious health risks.
• Blood pressure is denoted by two numbers: the first (systolic) indicates the pressure when the heart contracts, and the second (diastolic) indicates the pressure during the heart's resting phase between beats.
• World Hypertension Day: Every year on May 17 
• Aim: To raise awareness about hypertension and urging individuals to take measures to prevent and manage this silent threat to health.