Over 75% Indians with hypertension have uncontrolled BP: Lancet study

New Delhi: Less than one-fourth of hypertensive patients in India have their blood pressure under control, as per a study published in The Lancet Regional Health journal. High blood pressure, often known as hypertension, is one of the major causes of early mortality and morbidity and a modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). A systematic analysis of 51 papers published after 2001 that reported hypertension control rates in India was done by the team, which included researchers from Boston University School of Public Health and the National Center for Disease Control, New Delhi. The researchers concentrated on neighborhood-based non-interventional studies that offer a genuine representation of control rates at the neighbourhood level. The authors claim that this was the first time anyone has ever looked at the evolution of control rates through time. The research found that 21 studies (41 per cent) reported poorer hypertension control rates among males than females, and six studies (12 per cent) reported poorer control rates among rural patients. The pooled hypertension control rate in India during 2001-2020 was 17.5 per cent – with significant increase over the years, reaching 22.5 per cent in 2016-2020, the researchers said. Sub-group analysis showed significantly better control rates in the South and West regions, and significantly poorer control rates among males. Very few studies reported data on social determinants or lifestyle risk factors, they said. “Less than one-fourth of hypertensive patients in India had their blood pressure under control during 2016-2020. Although the control rate has improved compared to previous years, substantial differences exist across regions,” the authors of the study said. “Very few studies have examined the lifestyle risk factors and social determinants relevant to hypertension control in India,” they added. In the study, hypertension control rate was defined as the proportion of patients with their blood pressure under control ie. a systolic blood pressure less than 140 mmHg (unit of pressure) and diastolic blood pressure less than 90 mmHg. The review included 49 cross-sectional and two cohort studies covering 1.39 million population (73 per cent females) including 338,313 (3.3 lakh) hypertensive patients. Thirty nine studies had state-specific data covering 15 states and territories. The mean hypertension prevalence across studies was 24.2 per cent, and 46.8 per cent of them were aware of their high blood pressure. The researchers noted that India needs to develop and evaluate sustainable, community-based strategies and programmes to improve hypertension control rates. “Hypertension is a significant contributor to mortality in India. Achieving better hypertension control rate at the population level is critical in reducing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality,” the authors said. The team also included researchers from Government Medical College, Manjeri and KIMS Al-Shifa Specialty Hospital, Perinthalmanna, both in Kerala. Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.