High blood pressure afflicts 12 million in Bangladesh

The World Health Organization (WHO) raises alarm against high blood pressure or hypertension on the World Health Day-13 as the disease kills nearly 1.5 million in Southeast Asia and afflicts 12 million in Bangladesh.
High blood pressure or hypertension kills nearly 1.5 million people every year in South-East Asia making it the single-most important risk factor for non communicable diseases like heart attack and stroke, said a WHO release on the eve of World Health Day today.
Most of these deaths can be prevented through healthy way of life, early detection and treatment, the release said.
Preventing, detecting and treating hypertension early is cheaper than interventions such as cardiac bypass surgery or kidney dialysis that may be needed if the problem is diagnosed late, the Who suggests.
WHO South- East Asia Regional Director Dr Samlee Plianbangchang said, “Every individual has the power to prevent high blood pressure by adopting a healthy lifestyle - eating a balanced diet, reducing salt, regular exercise, avoiding harmful use of alcohol, leaving tobacco and checking their blood pressure regularly.”
Bangladesh WHO Representative Dr Thushara Fernando adds: this year's campaign provides an opportunity to focus attention on the prevention and control of heart disease and stroke through a focus on hypertension and other risk factors.
One-third adults in Bangladesh never measured blood pressure in their lifetime.
A 2010 WHO survey reports that 12 million or 18 percent of Bangladesh adults aged 25 years or above have high blood pressure, with at least half of them are at risk of grave consequences.
The WHO is now developing a global plan of action for 2013-2020 for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and assisting countries to develop national action plans in order to prevent and control such diseases, including hypertension, and their key risk factors.