People across the world observe World Hypertension Day on May 17 in order to increase awareness about the health condition. Hypertension or high blood pressure is a medical condition in which the force or pressure of blood against the artery walls is too high. A person has hypertension if his/her blood pressure is above 140/90, and the condition will be considered severe if the measurements go over 180/120.
Moreover, hypertension is a very common health condition in the country, and more than 1 crore Indians get it every year, especially senior citizens. However, the young population is also becoming a victim of hypertension with main causes being increased work pressure, improper diet, smoking, less physical activity among others.
History of World Hypertension Day
World Hypertension Day was launched by the World Hypertension League – an umbrella organisation of 85 national hypertension societies – on 14 May 2005 with an aim to increase awareness about the condition among hypertensive patients. In 2006, the 2nd WHD was observed on 17 May, and since then the date is dedicated to World Hypertension Day every year.
Significance
The objective of World Hypertension Day is to communicate the importance of early diagnosis of high blood pressure among patients. With early diagnosis, the patient can avoid serious consequences of hypertension such as heart disease or stroke.
In times of pandemic, it has become even more crucial for prevention, detection and treatment of high blood pressure, as the coronavirus takes a heavy toll on people with underlying health conditions such as diabetes, chronic lung disease and hypertension. A significant population of Covid-19 patients reported hypertension as their existing medical condition.
Theme
The World Hypertension League has said that this year’s theme for WHD is ‘Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, Live Longer’ which aims to combat low awareness rates, mostly in poorer countries.
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