Modernization and hypertension: is the link changing?

Estudios importantes sobre hipertension arterial de Cuba y el mundo

Modernization and hypertension: is the link changing?

Por: Fabio Angeli, Gianpaolo Reboldi y Paolo Verdecchia.  Hypertension Research (2013) 36, 676–678.

Worldwide, hypertension is quantitatively the most important risk factor for premature cardiovascular disease, being more common than cigarette smoking, dyslipidemia and diabetes, which are the other major risk factors. Hypertension accounts for an estimated 54% of all strokes and 47% of all ischemic heart disease events globally. Based on a pooled analysis of available national and regional data, Kearney et al.2 reported that the overall prevalence of hypertension in 2000 was estimated to be 26.4% of the world’s population (26.6% male and 26.1% female). They also predicted that the burden of hypertension would increase by 60% to ~1.56 billion in the year 20252. Nevertheless, recent analyses based on existing data from different countries have shown substantial differences in hypertension prevalence.3, 4 Individuals from western societies typically have a higher prevalence of hypertension and higher blood pressure (BP) values than those from other regions of the world, with this difference decreasing as non-westerners adapt to western culture and lifestyle.  [Actualizado: 2 de septiembre de 2013].