WHO urges action to control hypertension, save millions of lives in Western Pacific

WHO urges action to control hypertension, save millions of lives in Western Pacific

In Palau, a staggering 48 percent of its population aged between 30 and 79 years old have high blood pressure. That is 14 percentage points above the global average of 34 percent.

Hypertension: leading risk factor for premature deaths

Nuku'alofa, Tonga“Every hour, more than 1 000 lives are cut short by strokes and heart attacks linked to high blood pressure. Lives that could have been saved,” said Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific. WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, Dr. Saia Piukala. Photo: WHO. Most people with hypertension feel fine, until they don’t. A stroke that robs someone of speech, a heart attack on the job, or kidney fai…