HYPERTENSION
Primary Prevention
Benefits
of Prevention
- 30 – 40%
average stroke reduction
- 20 – 25%
average myocardial infarction reduction
- more
than 50% average heart failure reduction
“The prevalence of hypertension will
increase even further unless broad and effective preventive measures are
implemented.”
Lifestyle modification:
Primary prevention
Therapy
In addition to medication treatment
for all hypertensive patients
In patients with stage 1 hypertension (SBP
140-159 mm Hg and/or DBP 90-99 mm Hg) and additional cardiovascular risk
factors, achieving a sustained 12 mm Hg reduction in SBP over 10 years will
prevent 1 death for every 11 patients treated. In the presence of CVD or
target organ damage, only 9 patients would require such BP reduction to
prevent a death.9
- Treatment of hypertension has not been shown to be 100%
effective; persons treated with “tight” hypertension control do not reach
normotensive levels.
- Even if adequately treated according to current standards,
patients with hypertension may not achieve “normal” levels.
- Many persons do not make adequate lifestyle changes or take
enough medications to control hypertension.
- A significant portion of cardiovascular disease occurs in
people whose blood pressure is above the optimal level (120/80 mm Hg) but
not so high as to be diagnosed or treated as hypertension. A population
wide approach to lowering of blood pressure can reduce this considerable
burden of risk.
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