7 April 2013 WORLD HEALTH DAY

World Health Day 2 On 7 April 1948, the World Health Organization (WHO) was created. Since then, WHO named April 7 as World Health Day, celebrated each year to mark the anniversary of its founding. Each year has a new theme and this year’s theme was “Prevention and control of heart attacks and strokes through a focus on hypertension. ‟ Throughout the world, posters and messages were sent to call attention to this major health problem.

17 May 2013 WORLD HYPERTENSION DAY

World Hypertension Day 4 Designed by the World Hypertension League: a division of the International Society of Hypertension (ISH) who is in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO). Since May 2005, an event has been organized annually. Purpose:  Promote public awareness of hypertension.  Communicate information to the public on prevention, detection, and treatment. Goal: Reduce heart attacks and strokes theme: “Healthy Lifestyle, Healthy Blood Pressure” 2013 theme: “Healthy Blood Pressure, Healthy Heart Beat”

Epidemiology 5 Cardiovascular disease: 1  17 million deaths a year Complications of hypertension: 2  9.4 million deaths worldwide every year Hypertension responsible for:  45% of deaths due to heart disease  51% of deaths due to stroke In 2008: 40% of adults had been diagnosed with hypertension. The number of people with hypertension: 3  1980: 600 million  2008: 1 billion 1. Causes of Death 2008 [online database]. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization. http// 2. Lim SS, Vos T, Flaxman AD, Danaei G, et al. A comparative risk assessment of burden of disease and injury attributable to 67 risk factors and risk factor clusters in 21 regions, : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study Lancet. 2012;380(9859): World Health Organization. Global status report on noncommunicable diseases Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2011.

A few reminders 6 The patient needs to:  Measure blood pressure at home regularly, at the same time daily.  Don’t: Cross feet.  Do: Stay calm, quiet for at least 4-5 minutes. Measure 30 minutes after exercise. Sit with the back straight. Keep a blood pressure diary.  Keep blood pressure below 135 mm Hg. Atrial fibrillation:  Is an abnormal heart beat  Increases with age  Hypertension and atrial fibrillation significantly increase the risk of stroke.

Prevention 7 Three keys to a healthy lifestyle:  Eat healthier:  Increase fruit and vegetable intake.  Reduce sodium or salt intake.  Avoid harmful use of alcohol.  Exercise at least 30 minutes every day.  Watch one’s weight.

8 Talk to YOUR patients about hypertension and healthy lifestyle. Prevention is the key to stopping the global hypertension epidemic.