Deaths related to hypertension have become a public health emergency, warranting attention and preventive efforts, say investigators.
Rates rose by 72% in rural settings and 20% in urban areas between 2007 and 2017. That’s according to findings from 10 million death records culled from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention database. The data included all individuals who had cardiovascular disease listed as a cause of death and hypertension as a contributing factor. After adjusting for age, they found that hypertension-related deaths had increased across all age groups and geographic regions.
The findings surprised the researchers, who had expected the hypertension numbers to mirror a trend of falling death rates from coronary artery disease, said lead author Lakshmi Nambiar, M.D., from the University of Vermont. “But we’re just seeing it get worse and worse.”
Nambiar said the results suggest an increased prevalence of heart failure, a form of heart disease. And the significant regional differences found may be explained by a combination of poor diet, high prevalence of obesity and diabetes, and lack of healthcare access.
Clinicians can help stem the tide by encouraging blood pressure and lifestyle changes related to diet and exercise, the authors wrote. In addition, it’s important to closely follow the 2017 ACC/AHA High Blood Pressure in Adults guideline for hypertension diagnosis and treatment, and to discuss options with patients, they concluded.
Full findings will be presented at the (now virtual) American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session Together with World Congress of Cardiology.
