Over 29% of UAE population suffer from hypertension, more remain undiagnosed, says health expert

 With 29% of the UAE population suffering from hypertension, health professionals are concerned that the condition is much more prevalent, as many more people are living in denial resulting in a large number of cases going undiagnosed. Recent reports from WHO show that 46% of adults who suffer from hypertension globally, don’t even know that their lives are being adversely affected.

One of the most common conditions, hypertension can go undiagnosed without any symptoms for years, constantly increases the risk of serious health problems, including heart attack and stroke.

With hypertension, one’s blood pressure is higher than normal and it changes throughout the day based on everyday activities. Having blood pressure measures consistently above normal in any individual results in a diagnosis of hypertension. A huge challenge identified by health professionals today is that due to the lack of constant awareness, and most people actively ignore getting their blood pressure checked.

One of the pioneers to constantly raising global awareness on hypertension and its ill effects and subsequent health risks is Merck, a leading science and technology company, discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases making a positive difference in millions of lives every day.

“Hypertension remains among the top causes of death and disease throughout the world. If not treated it can cause other major risks such as brain and kidney disease, not to mention strokes and heart attacks. The underlying cause of hypertension varies from one person to another. There are many risk factors for hypertension. One of these high-risk factors is age. The risk for hypertension only increases as we age. Until the age of 64, hypertension is more prevalent in men. Women are more likely to develop hypertension after the age of 65,” commented Prof. Abdullah Shehab, UAE-based Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine.

Hypertension can easily be detected by regularly measuring blood pressure at home or in a health facility. This medical condition is also easily managed, with a healthy lifestyle, and balanced diet.

“Family history is also a risk factor for high blood pressure as it tends to run in families. Other hypertension risk factors include being overweight, physically inactive, using tobacco, consuming too much salt and not consuming enough potassium in your diet, drinking too much alcohol, and having certain chronic conditions like diabetes, sleep apnea, and kidney disease,” added Prof. Shehab.

There are many hypertension medications available, yet only 42% of hypertensive adult patients get diagnosed and receive appropriate treatment. Merck aims to bring affordable and high-quality medicines to patients and offers a broad range of treatments for hypertension.

A Global leader in research and development, Merck strives towards creating disease awareness and the best medicinal alternatives for everyone and delivering top-of-the-line treatments.

In an effort to raise global awareness on hypertension and elevated heart rate, Merck reached the heights of the sky with a skydiving act carried out by trained professionals holding Merck Flag Signed by patrons, doctors and employees of Merck, under a global maxim, “Together we take control, together we reach our goal. It was a shout out from the top by Merck urging people to take control of their lives.

“It is important to note that high blood pressure is the main leading cause of premature death globally. More than 8.5 million people die of hypertension yearly, which is why constant awareness is needed,” said Prof. Shehab.