Raised Blood Pressure (BP)

  High BP prevalence ranged from 19% in DPR Korea to 42% in Myanmar.

  Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) study reveals that considerable proportion of the study populations had high BP especially in India, Indonesia and Thailand where overweight was positively associated with high BP.

  Except in Bangladesh adult population prevalence of high BP ranged from 15% to 28%.

  Recent study reveals 43% men and 45% women (167331 persons) with high BP in rural area of Trivandrum (India).

  A continuous study showed that high BP accelerates ischaemic heart disease mortality rate.

  Stroke mortality started to increase after diastolic BP≥75 mmHg.

Percentage of adult population with high blood pressure*, South-East Asia Region, 2008

*Systolic BP>40 mmHg and stroke or diastolic BP>90 mmHg or using medication to lower BP

  In Myanmar prevalence of high BP was 34% in 2003.

  An increasing trend have been seen in high BP prevalence in Indonesia from 8% in 1995 to 32% in 2008 where as in Myanmar 16% in 2004 to 31% in 2009.

  Major reasons for high BP in urban areas are rapid urbanization, modern city life and transition from agrarian life to wage earning.