NEW DELHI: Three in four people with hypertension in India have had their blood pressure measured, but less than 8 per cent of those with persistent high blood pressure had their condition in control.
These findings have emerged in the first large-scale population-based study of hypertension care by researchers at the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, and some other international universities.
The findings have shown that prevalence of hypertension is high in India, but the proportion of adults with hypertension who are aware of their diagnosis, are treated, and achieve control, is low.
Researchers used National Health and Family Survey (NFHS-4, 2015-16) data of 7,31,864 individuals aged 15-49 years, which covered each district in 29 states and seven Union Territories of India.
The study was conducted as hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, which is a leading cause of death in India, and there was no major research from the country on the steps from screening to successful control of hypertension at which people are lost from care.
Dorairaj Prabhakaran of PHFI said that it was an unfortunate paradox that India did not perform well in any measure of detection, treatment and control of the condition.
Ashish Awasthi, another researcher from PHFI, said that the country needed to focus on this silent killer to reduce preventable premature morbidity and mortality burden due to cardiovascular diseases.
Researchers said the analysis highlighted the need for improvements in hypertension awareness, care and control for all Indians, specially those in the most productive years.