The Aryavarth Express
Agency(New Delhi): An alarming study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has found that over a third of the Indian population, specifically 33.7%, is suffering from prehypertension. This condition, which is a precursor to full-blown hypertension, has raised significant concerns among health experts, given its potential to escalate into a more serious health issue affecting the country’s public health landscape.
The extensive research, which included 743,067 adults between the ages of 18 and 54, utilized data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) that covered all 28 states and eight Union territories of India. The study’s findings, published in the International Journal of Public Health on March 18, indicated a higher propensity for prehypertension among individuals from affluent backgrounds and those who are overweight or obese.
Contrary to expectations, women, educated individuals, alcohol consumers, and those with elevated blood glucose levels were found to have a lower likelihood of being prehypertensive. Interestingly, no significant correlation was discovered between tobacco use and prehypertension rates.
The study also highlighted the extensive variability in prehypertension prevalence across different districts in India, with rates ranging from 15.6% to a staggering 63.4%. The southern regions of the country showed a relatively lower average prevalence of 30.2%, while the northern areas reported an average rate of 39.4%. Regions such as Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh exhibited notably higher rates of hypertension.
This research underscores the urgent need for concerted efforts to address the rising tide of prehypertension and its eventual progression to hypertension, a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. The “India State-Level Disease Burden Initiative” has already pinpointed prehypertension as a significant contributor to cardiovascular ailments, necessitating immediate attention.
With a prevalence of raised blood pressure recorded at 15.9% among the study’s participants, the findings call for targeted interventions to mitigate healthcare disparities and promote healthier lifestyles. Factors such as alcohol consumption, obesity, and elevated blood sugar levels have been identified as consistent associates with higher odds of raised blood pressure, echoing the results of numerous Indian studies.
The ICMR study advocates for comprehensive strategies that include health education, improved healthcare access, and awareness campaigns aimed at encouraging proactive health-seeking behaviors, particularly among men. With noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) accounting for a major portion of deaths in India, and cardiovascular diseases leading the pack, the study’s insights into the prevalence and determinants of prehypertension and raised blood pressure at various administrative levels could play a pivotal role in curbing the growing epidemic of hypertension in the country.