High blood pressure is out of control around the world, with the number of sufferers expected to exceed a billion within 20 years, experts warn. One in four adults already has the condition, which increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and death.
But unhealthy modern lifestyles mean the toll could hit 1.56 billion by 2025, up from 972 million in 2000, The Lancet medical journal reports. The biggest problem is poor compliance with treatment, an editorial claim.
Despite very effective and cost-effective treatments, target blood pressure levels are very rarely reached, even in countries where cost of medication is not an issue, says the editorial. "Many patients still believe that hypertension is a disease that can be cured, and stop or reduce medication when blood pressure levels fall.
"Physicians need to convey the message that hypertension is the first, and easily measurable, irreversible sign that many organs of the body are under attack."
"Perhaps this message will make people think more carefully about the consequences of an unhealthy lifestyle and give preventative measures a real chance," it says.
High blood pressure is a ticking time bomb and should be taken seriously, said Professor Gareth Beevers of the Blood Pressure Association. Currently, a person in the Western world has a greater than 90 percent lifetime risk of developing high blood pressure or hypertension. But lifestyle factors, such as physical inactivity, a salt- rich diet with high processed and fatty foods.
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