World Hypertension Day – May 17

World Hypertension Day May 17

On May 17th, we celebrate World Hypertension Day, a day dedicated to highlighting the importance of monitoring blood pressure and bringing global awareness to the 1 billion people living with high blood pressure worldwide. High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is defined as a systolic blood pressure consistently above 140 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure consistently above 90 mm Hg. Hypertension is the #1 risk factor for heart disease, stroke, renal complications, and premature death. Usually, high blood pressure alone does not cause any symptoms. Fortunately, hypertension can be prevented and managed, by checking your blood pressure regularly, and through treatment.

Since 2016, CDC and global partners have worked together to create innovative strategies to prevent and control hypertension, and improve people’s overall heart health in countries across the world. Get tested, know your numbers, and live longer.

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Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the Americas and high blood pressure accounts for over 50% of CVD. Unfortunately, in the Americas, over a quarter of adult women and four in ten adult men have hypertension, and the diagnosis, treatment, and control are suboptimal. Remarkably, only a few countries exhibit a population hypertension control rate of over 50%. To address this critical problem, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) initiated the HEARTS in the Americas, a comprehensive CVD risk reduction initiative currently being implemented in 1380 health facilities in 22 countries.

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