By Nurse Diane
World Health Day is celebrated
on 7 April to mark the anniversary of the founding of World Health Organization
(WHO) in 1948. Each year a theme is selected for World Health Day that
highlights a priority area of public health concern in the world. The theme for 2013 is High Blood Pressure.
High blood pressure – also known
as raised blood pressure or hypertension – increases the risk of heart attacks,
strokes and kidney failure. If left uncontrolled, high blood pressure can also
cause blindness, irregularities of the heartbeat and heart failure. The risk of
developing these complications is higher in the presence of other
cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes. One in three adults worldwide
have high blood pressure. The proportion increases with age, from 1 in 10
people in their 20s and 30s to 5 in 10 people in their 50s. Prevalence of high
blood pressure is highest in some low-income countries in Africa, and with over
40% of adults in many African countries.
The risk of developing high
blood pressure can be reduced by:
- Reducing salt intake;
- Eating a balanced diet;
- Avoiding harmful use of alcohol;
- Taking regular physical activity;
- Maintaining a healthy body weight; and
- Avoiding tobacco use.
The ultimate goal of World Health
Day 2013 is to reduce heart attacks and strokes. Specific objectives of the
campaign are:
- To raise awareness of the causes and consequences of high blood pressure;
- To provide information on how to prevent high blood pressure and related complications;
- To encourage adults to check their blood pressure and to follow the advice of health-care professionals;
- To encourage self-care to prevent high blood pressure;
- To make blood pressure measurement affordable to all; and
- To incite national and local authorities to create enabling environments for healthy behaviors.
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