Hypertension... Check it out Early

DUBAI - Physicians working under  the Ministry of Health will follow international guidelines in management of adult hypertension in primary healthcare. The guidelines were  adopted by the local physicians after a recent workshop that was attended  by more than 120 physicians, nurses and pharmacists.

Asma Ali Zain

Published: Mon 23 Feb 2009, 2:52 AM

Last updated: Mon 6 Apr 2015, 1:33 AM

The strategy has been validated by Gerard Plante, Professor of Medicine, Physiology and Pharmacology and his associates at Sherbrooke University, Canada. The guidelines identify markers for early diagnosis of the condition and the appropriate medication.

The workshop is the initial phase of the three-year Hypertension Global Care Programme that was launched last year by the Minister of Health Humaid Al Qutami with the aim of combating hypertension and its complications in UAE.

Dr Mahmoud Fikri, Chief Executive Officer for Health Policies, MoH  said, “The first phase of the programme was very successful. We are now utilising our resources in a strategic and tactical manner in order to manage  the burden of hypertension on a  long term scale, and hopefully reverse the high incidence rates we are  suffering from.”

The UAE programme will entail  the collaboration of MoH and Les  Laboratoires Servier in a research  project; development of additional awareness campaigns; providing  education and training for members of the medical fraternity and the community and identifying markers for early diagnosis of hypertension.

Hypertension is the most common cardiovascular disorder with associated diseases (type 1 and 2 diabetes, lipid abnormalities) affecting 20 per cent of the adult aging population (over 65 years of age).

Worldwide prevalence estimates for hypertension may be close to  one billion individuals and approximately seven million deaths per  year may be attributed to hypertension. The WHO reported high blood pressure as the number one cause  of death worldwide.

Dr Muna Al Kawari, Director of Central Department of PHC at MoH said that the ministry was concentrating on raising community awareness on conditions that could lead to hypertension. “People need to know that obesity, stress, and unhealthy lifestyle that includes consumption of junk food, may lead to hypertension and the ensuing diseases,” she explained.

The WHO in their first country-by-country study of how the environment in which people live affects their health found that 18 per cent of the UAE’s burden of disease was preventable. A breakdown of the UAE’s results shows that 3.1 per cent of deaths are due to cardiovascular disease, compared to 2.2 per cent in Qatar.

Data from hospitals in the Abu Dhabi Eastern Region showed that cardiovascular diseases were responsible for  26 per cent of deaths, killing 19 people in the period between July 8 and  August 7, 2008.