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Abstract
Few studies have assessed the extent and distribution of the blood-pressure burden
worldwide. The aim of this study was to quantify the global burden of disease related
to high blood pressure.
Worldwide burden of disease attributable to high blood pressure (> or =115 mm Hg systolic)
was estimated for groups according to age (> or =30 years), sex, and World Bank region
in the year 2001. Population impact fractions were calculated with data for mean systolic
blood pressure, burden of deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and relative
risk corrected for regression dilution bias.
Worldwide, 7.6 million premature deaths (about 13.5% of the global total) and 92 million
DALYs (6.0% of the global total) were attributed to high blood pressure. About 54%
of stroke and 47% of ischaemic heart disease worldwide were attributable to high blood
pressure. About half this burden was in people with hypertension; the remainder was
in those with lesser degrees of high blood pressure. Overall, about 80% of the attributable
burden occurred in low-income and middle-income economies, and over half occurred
in people aged 45-69 years.
Most of the disease burden caused by high blood pressure is borne by low-income and
middle-income countries, by people in middle age, and by people with prehypertension.
Prevention and treatment strategies restricted to individuals with hypertension will
miss much blood-pressure-related disease.