High blood pressure kills 7.5 million people each year

Scientists estimate that more than 1.1 billion people suffer from high blood pressure, concentrated mainly in poor countries in Africa and South Asia.

High blood pressure (also known as hypertension) increases the strain on blood vessels and major organs such as the heart, brain and kidneys. It is the world's leading cause of cardiovascular disease, which leads to strokes and heart attacks. It is estimated to cause 7.5 million deaths a year worldwide.

The study was conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and hundreds of international scientists and was published on Reuters recently. According to statistics, the number of people with high blood pressure has nearly doubled in 40 years and reached more than 1.1 billion people worldwide.

There were 1.1 billion people with high blood pressure out of a total population of more than 7 billion worldwide in 2015. Photo: vaheart.org.

This is the largest study of its kind to look at blood pressure in every country in the world between 1975 and 2015. Scientists say the prevalence of high blood pressure has fallen sharply in rich countries (possibly due to healthier diets and lifestyles) but is rising in poorer countries, particularly in Africa and South Asia.

South Korea, the United States and Canada have the lowest rates of high blood pressure in the world. In 2015, in Europe, the United Kingdom had the lowest rate of people with high blood pressure.

Research estimates that more than 50% of people with high blood pressure in 2015 lived in Asia. About 226 million people in China had the disease, and 200 million in India.

"In 1975, high blood pressure was unrelated to wealth, but now it is a serious health problem linked to poverty," said Majid Ezzati, a professor at Imperial College London's School of Public Health.

High blood pressure is caused by a number of factors including a diet high in salt, low in fruits and vegetables, and a lack of exercise.

According to Zing.vn