Radio Cadena Agramonte emisiora de Camagüey
Havana, May 31st.- Through a comprehensive approach to care, Cuba reinforces its fight against Arterial Hypertension (HTA) a silent disease with a prevalence of 37.3 percent (%) of the population, approximately 3.1 million people, according to the Statistical Yearbook of the Ministry of Public Health (Minsap).
According to Jorge Luis León Álvarez, president of the National Technical Advisory Commission for this suffering, from the primary level of assistance work is being done on the detection of people with a family history of HTA and the identification of risk factors.
He highlighted the follow-up of hypertensive people with systematic check-up to blood pressure and evolution to treatment to reduce the risk of complications from cardiovascular or kidney disease.
León Álvarez also highlighted the educational activity led by health institutions in order to promote healthy lifestyles to prevent hypertension such as healthy eating, a practice of frequent exercise so as not to suffer from obesity, as well as to reduce the consumption of salt, fats and sugars and prevent the consumption of tobacco and alcohol.
In this sense, the role of the National HTA Control Program and the implementation of the HEARTS Initiative, essential strategies to improve the control of the disease at the population level, is key, he said.
He stressed the importance of measuring blood pressure regularly and promoting awareness that everyone is at risk of hypertension.
According to data published by Minsap, between 50 and 60 per cent of Cubans over 15 years of age are prehypertensive or hypertensive, a figure that exceeds five million inhabitants.
Hypertension is the main preventable risk factor for cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and kidney diseases, and on the Caribbean island, these cause approximately 41,000 deaths per year, 45% of which are related to high systolic blood pressure. (Digital Grammy) (Photo: Internet taken)
