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Professor Dr. Patrick
J. Mulrow
Secretary General
World Hypertension League
Speaking
at the 1st National Symposium 1997
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Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a worldwide epidemic which is known as the Silent Killer. It received that name because it can often be asymptomatic and only after severe organ damage, such as to the heart or to the brain, do people know they have high blood pressure. High blood pressure can affect all ages, but in most adult populations around the world the prevalence is between 20-30%. This prevalence increases dramatically with age, and in most populations 50% of people over 60 years of age have high blood pressure.The World Hypertension League was founded in 1975. |
| Its aims are to stimulate the establishment and bring together organizations committed to the control of hypertension in populations.The hope was that as a world community we could learn each others triumphs and mistakes so we could more effectively control blood pressure in our countries.
The Pakistan Hypertension League was founded in 1995 with the Founding President being Prof. Azhar Faruqui. His goals are excellent: to mobilize the various sectors of the community, both medical and lay, to become involved in the detection, prevention, and treatment of High Blood Pressure. It will be important to use all modes of communication, that is, Newspapers, Radio, Television, and Lectures, to inform and educate the lay public as well as the health professionals.
Hypertension is one of the major risk factors for strokes, heart attacks, and heart and kidney failure. Fortunately, we have the means to prevent hypertension through lifestyle modification, such as lowering salt in the diet and prevention of obesity. If these fail, we have excellent drugs to control hypertension. However, we must first find the patients with hypertension, educate them on the importance of treatment, and develop methods to maintain lifelong treatment. To be successful in controlling hypertension, the entire community must be involved.
It is my pleasure and honor as a representative of the World Hypertension League to participate in this important First Convention of the Pakistan Hypertension League. |
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