الفهرس 
Introduction & RationaleOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 136 |  |  |
| | | from | 136 | | |
Abstract
Hypertension is a major problem and the most prevalent chronic disease and the leading risk factor for premature death, stroke and heart disease worldwide. In the year 2000, the world was estimated to have close to 1 billion people with hypertension and predicted an increase to 1.56 billion by 2025.
The global economic burden of increased blood pressure was estimated to consume $370 billion worldwide and 10% of healthcare expenditures. Usual blood pressure is strongly and directly related to vascular and overall mortality without evidence of a threshold down to at least 115/75 mm Hg,with small changes in blood pressure resulting in substantial changes in vascular disease.
Evidence based studies, confirmed that increased blood pressure, hypertension and hypertension-related complications are largely preventable. Lifestyle changes can lower blood pressure and prevent hypertension while antihypertensive drug therapy can effectively reduce the cardiovascular events attributed to hypertension.Nevertheless, most people with hypertension worldwide are not effectively treated and controlled to the recommended blood pressure targets.
There are few international programmes to serve as models for prevention and control of hypertension and few countries have embarked on national hypertension prevention and control programmes.
Most of the subjects have mild to moderate hypertension and the role of the family physician arises in implementing initial strategies for management involve lifestyle changes focussing on reduction of dietary salt, fat and alcohol and increase in potassium and fruits and vegetables. Weight management and reduction in obesity and truncal obesity, regular physical exercise, tobacco cessation and stress management are