Extending community based health care services to counter the multi-dimensional threat of hypertension

Abstract

Hypertension has been identified as an important public health concern of global distribution and as the key risk factor for most of the common cardiovascular diseases. Rationale and adequate control of hypertension is a key element in the prevention of hypertension induced-organ damage and the associated life threatening complications. An extensive search of all materials related to the topic was done in Pubmed, Medline, World Health Organization website and Google Scholar search engines. Keywords used in the search included hypertension, cardiovascular disease, public health, lifestyle modifications, and awareness. A diverse range of socio-demographic and health system related factors have been acknowledged in the causation and determining the long-term outcomes of the disease. As the natural history of hypertension is complex the strategy to combat also should be multi-pronged based on the pre-existing factors in different settings. Altogether, although some progress has been observed in the field of community awareness, blood pressure level control, and therapeutic modalities, the need is to implement sustainable and cost-effective interventions that will not only halt but also reverse the rising trend of hypertension. Community-based health education strategies, adoption of healthy dietary and lifestyle practices, and availability of effective drugs are effective measures to mitigate the overall burden of the disease.