11 September 2004	Saturday	25 Rajab 1425

KARACHI, Sept 10: An estimated 5.3 million women and 5.5 million men in Pakistan suffer from high blood pressure while prevalence of hypertension over the age of 15 years comes to 17.9 per cent with higher prevalence observed in urban areas (21.5 per cent vs 16.2 per cent).

The National Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Non- Communicable Diseases, referring to available data, further mentioned 33 per cent percent incidence rate of the condition among locals aged above 45, implying that one in every three Pakistanis over the age of 45 years suffers from blood pressure.

A similar prevalence of 15 per cent over the age of 18 years and 36 per cent over the age of 60 years has been reported in another survey conducted in Northern Areas of the country.

It is in the given backdrop that several studies conducted in Pakistan to examine the risk profiles of patients presenting with stroke in Pakistan identified raised blood pressure in 23 to 64 per cent of the patients suffering from stroke; 31 per cent to 42 per cent were shown to be suffering from diabetes; 33 per cent to 53 per cent patients were smokers whereas 11 per cent to 17 per cent were found to be overweight.

Studies also showed that a majority suffered from cardiac diseases (46 per cent), hyperlipidemia (30 per cent) while carotid artery stenosis was observed in eight percent. -APP