High blood pressure: The leading global burden of disease risk factor and the need for worldwide prevention programs

摘要

It has been long recognized that hypertension is animportant risk factor for cardiovascular disease and mortality[1]. Traditionally, a high burden of hypertensionand its adverse consequences has been mistakenlythought to be an affliction of only economically developedcountries [2]. However, studies over the past twodecades have reported that the majority of people inmany economically developing countries have bloodpressure above the levels considered optimal, with ahigh prevalence of hypertension present [3–5]. Althougha high prevalence of hypertension in all world regionshas been previously reported, a recent publication fromthe Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study has placeda renewed focus on the heavy toll high blood pressureis having in all regions of the world [6, 7].