7 April 2013

WORLD HEALTH DAY

World Health Day

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On 7 April 1948, the World Health Organization (WHO) was created.

Since then, WHO named April 7 as World Health Day, celebrated each year to mark the anniversary of its founding.

Each year has a new theme and this year’s theme was “Prevention and control of heart attacks and strokes through a focus on hypertension.‟

Throughout the world, posters and messages were sent to call attention to this major health problem.

17 May 2013

WORLD HYPERTENSION DAY

World Hypertension Day

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Designed by the World Hypertension League: a division of the International Society of Hypertension (ISH) who is in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO).

Since May 2005, an event has been organized annually.Purpose:

Promote public awareness of hypertension. Communicate information to the public on prevention,

detection, and treatment.Goal: Reduce heart attacks and strokes.2012 theme: “Healthy Lifestyle, Healthy Blood

Pressure”2013 theme: “Healthy Blood Pressure, Healthy Heart

Beat”

Epidemiology

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Cardiovascular disease:1 17 million deaths a year

Complications of hypertension:2 9.4 million deaths worldwide every year

Hypertension responsible for: 45% of deaths due to heart disease 51% of deaths due to stroke

In 2008: 40% of adults had been diagnosed with hypertension.

The number of people with hypertension:3

1980: 600 million 2008: 1 billion

1. Causes of Death 2008 [online database]. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization. http//www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/cod_2008_sources_methods.pdf 2. Lim SS, Vos T, Flaxman AD, Danaei G, et al. A comparative risk assessment of burden of disease and injury attributable to 67 risk factors and risk factor clusters in 21 regions, 1990-2010: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010. Lancet. 2012;380(9859):2224-2260. 3. World Health Organization. Global status report on noncommunicable diseases 2010. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2011.

A few reminders

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The patient needs to: Measure blood pressure at home regularly, at the same time

daily. Don’t: Cross feet. Do: Stay calm, quiet for at least 4-5 minutes.

Measure 30 minutes after exercise. Sit with the back straight. Keep a blood pressure diary. Keep blood pressure below 135 mm Hg.

• Atrial fibrillation: Is an abnormal heart beat Increases with age Hypertension and atrial fibrillation significantly increase the

risk of stroke.

Prevention

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Three keys to a healthy lifestyle:Eat healthier:

Increase fruit and vegetable intake.Reduce sodium or salt intake. Avoid harmful use of alcohol.

Exercise at least 30 minutes every day.

Watch one’s weight.

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Talk to YOUR patients about hypertension and healthy lifestyle.

Prevention is the key to stopping the

global hypertension epidemic.