Abstract:

In 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) released the first document of “Global report on hypertension—The race against a silent killer”. which covers the global prevalence and management of hypertension, analyzes the mortality and disease burden caused by hypertension, explores the risk factors for hypertension, evaluates the cost-effectiveness of blood pressure treatment, and presents successful examples of hypertension management in many countries, especially the global implementation of the WHO-launched HEARTS project for hypertension control. Hypertension is a significant global public health challenge with severe health implications. Over the past 30 years, the number of people with hypertension (defined as systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mmHg, or taking antihypertensive medication) has doubled, rising from 650 million in 1990 to 1.3 billion in 2019. Among the global hypertensive population aged 30-79, approximately 54% have been diagnosed, of which 42% are receiving antihypertensive treatment, and only 21% have controlled blood pressure. In 2019, elevated systolic pressure was responsible for over half of cardiovascular disease deaths globally. Increasing the global hypertension control rate to 50% could prevent 76 million deaths from 2023 to 2050. Population-level risk factors for hypertension include high salt and low potassium intake, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and air pollution. WHO advocates for the prevention and control of hypertension through measures such as reducing dietary sodium intake, increasing potassium intake, limiting alcohol consumption, quitting smoking, increasing physical activity, and improving air quality. In terms of treatment, WHO guidelines recommend antihypertensive medication for individuals with systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mmHg. For specific populations, it is also recommended to start antihypertensive treatment when systolic blood pressure is between 130-139 mmHg. The use of single-pill combination therapy is also advised to improve adherence and persistence in treatment. The prevalence and management of hypertension in China are also noteworthy. Hypertension is a major cause of mortality and disease burden in the Chinese population. By learning from global successes in hypertension management, China can enhance its efforts in the prevention, control, and monitoring of hypertension, particularly by promoting the application of the HEARTS technical package to improve hypertension management. This report aims to draw attention to major non-communicable diseases, particularly hypertension, as a public health challenge. Through detailed data analysis and successful case studies, the report underscores the importance of hypertension prevention and control, providing scientific evidence for policy-making across countries. This collective effort aims to achieve the global goal of a 25% relative reduction in uncontrolled hypertension prevalence by 2025 compared to 2010. This article will interpret briefly the reports based on the prevalence and management of hypertension in China.

Key words: Hypertension, Prevalence, Mortality, Disease burden