2023-05-16 19:00:47
- According to official figures, it is estimated that there are more than 30 million people with arterial hypertension in Mexico.
- It is the main isolated cause of premature death and loss of time to live without symptomatic cardiovascular disease.
- Globally, one in five adults has this condition.
One of the diseases that has demanded the most attention in recent decades is undoubtedly arterial hypertension. This condition becomes even more relevant due to the latest figures issued by the Ministry of Health (SSa). To date, more than 30 million people have it, that is, one in four people.
Added to the above, it is estimated that 46% of patients are unaware of their condition. Therefore, they do not receive a medical diagnosis or treatment that allows them to maintain control of their blood pressure.
Arterial hypertension, a silent disease
The condition is characterized by the increase in pressure generated by the human heart to pump blood into the arteries and distribute it throughout the body. High blood pressure can be dangerous and lead to serious illnesses like heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. Most Mexicans with hypertension do not know they have it because the disease often has no visible symptoms.
According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), 21% of hypertensive adults have the problem under control, that is, only 1 in 5 people. In addition, it is the main isolated cause of premature death and loss of time to live without symptomatic cardiovascular disease.
“Our commitment is to encourage the population to go to their doctor to receive personalized treatment and offer them innovative tools such as “Delivering Health Patients”, a free mobile application that helps patients with diseases such as hypertension to keep track of their doses of blood pressure and even receive functional recommendations”, says Dr. María Elena Sañudo, who is Medical Director of the General Medicine Unit of Sanofi Mexico.
It should be noted that there are 1,200 million people registered globally (in a range of 30 to 79 years), who live with the condition and who only 42% of patients with arterial hypertension in the world are diagnosed and treated.
Risk factors for the condition
Although age is not a determining factor for its development, the truth is that there are other causes such as genetic predisposition and diets rich in saturated fats that could increase the chances of triggering it.
In addition, the complications generated include strokes that would put the patient’s life at risk, so it is recommended to be alert to early symptoms such as nosebleeds, constant headaches, among others.
“Lack of access to preventive healthcare and lack of education about the disease can also contribute to a lack of awareness about high blood pressure. It has been shown that even if patients are diagnosed, they have to be alert to maintain adequate treatment, either with one therapy or a dual therapy. For this reason, it is important that Mexicans learn about the risk factors for hypertension and undergo regular check-ups with a specialist”.
One of the main challenges in the management of hypertension in Mexico is the lack of awareness about the disease. Many people with the condition go undiagnosed, and of those who are diagnosed, many do not receive adequate treatment.
Also, risk factors for hypertensionsuch as obesity, unhealthy diet, and lack of exercise, are common in Mexico, further increasing the burden of this disease in the population.
Also read:
VidaOK, a new Mexican app for monitoring arterial hypertension
This is the unthinkable new risk factor for high blood pressure
High blood pressure is becoming more common in young adults
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