KTH marks World Hypertension Day

The Khyber Teaching Hospital Department of Cardiology marked World Hypertension Day to create awareness among the general public.

It arranged a walk and seminar. In attendance were Coordinator, Pakistan Hypertension League KP Chapter and In-charge Cardiology KTH Prof Dr Amber Ashraf, Associate Prof Dr Muhammad Faheem, Assistant Prof Dr Saadiq Shah, Assistant Prof Dr Farooq, Consultant Dr Javed Shah and large number of faculty staff, management staff, Training Medical Officers’, House Officers’, nursing and paramedics staff and general public.

The TMOs, HOs, nursing students and paramedical staff were given hands-on training on how to measure the blood pressure.

Hypertension or high BP is the commonest chronic health problem of the world. It affects 15 per cent of the adult global population. There are an estimated 50 million hypertensive people in the USA and estimated one billion worldwide.According to the National Health Survey of Pakistan reported in 1997 by Pakistan Medical Research Council (PMRC) 18 per cent of adult Pakistani population suffers from high BP levels.

The prevalence of high BP was found to be particularly high among urban obese women. According to the above National Health Survey, those are an estimated 12 million hypertensive in Pakistan.

The main aim of the World Hypertension day is to educate the public and increase awareness of hypertension, which is also commonly known as high blood pressure. Hypertension is a major cause of a range of health problems such as strokes, heart attacks and kidney disease, and can also contribute to dementia.