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© The European Society of Cardiology 2007. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Blood pressure is the most important cause of death and disability in the world

Feng J. He and Graham A. MacGregor

Blood Pressure Unit, Cardiac and Vascular Sciences, St. George's University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE, UK

Corresponding author. Tel: +44 020 8725 5774; fax: +44 020 8725 2959. E-mail address: gmacgreg{at}sgul.ac.uk

Raised blood pressure is the major cause of death in the world and the second major cause of disability next to childhood malnutrition. Furthermore, the risk of cardiovascular disease starts at as low as 115 mmHg of systolic or 75 mmHg of diastolic pressure, although the conventional cut-off point for hypertension is 140/90 mmHg. This means, in most countries of the world, more than 80% of adults are at risk from their blood pressure. Population strategies to lower blood pressure by gradually reducing salt intake, increasing potassium intake, reducing weight and increasing physical exercise, and at the same time, to obtain better control of raised blood pressure, where drugs are indicated, with more logical combinations of currently available drugs, will both lead to massive reduction in strokes, heart failure, and heart attacks.

Key Words: blood pressure • mortality • diet • life style • antihypertensive • drugs


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