World Hypertension Day 2024: History, significance, theme, date and more | Lifestyle

World Hypertension Day is observed every year to spread awareness about the risk of hypertension and its prevention. This day serves as a reminder to manage your blood pressure which is crucial for maintaining good health. With participation on this day, you can contribute to reducing the burden of hypertension and improving health outcomes across the world.

High blood pressure could be a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and premature death globally. This happens when the blood pressure against artery walls exceeds the normal range and ultimately leads to higher blood pressure, or hypertension. The primary causes of hypertension are poor health choices, unhealthy diets, and lack of physical activity.

This is a common yet often asymptomatic condition that affects millions of people across the world. The dangerous part is that there is a huge chunk of people who are affected by this disease but are unaware of their condition. If left unaddressed, hypertension can significantly increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

World Hypertension Day serves as an occasion to spread knowledge about high blood pressure and encourage preventive measures to reduce hypertension. The purpose of World Hypertension Day is to raise awareness of high blood pressure which affects over a billion people globally and is the cause of 7.5 million deaths (approximately) annually. Many people are ignorant of hypertension symptoms and steps to prevent it.  Here’s all you need to know about this day.

World Hypertension Day 2024: History and Significance

World Hypertension Day was first observed on May 14, 2005, by the World Hypertension League (WHL). Since 2006, May 17 has been marked as World Hypertension Day across the world.

A study by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) study reveals that more national societies participated in World Hypertension Day in the last three years and employed innovative strategies to educate the public.

In the year 2007, there was a record number of participants from 47 member countries of WHL. All these nations worked with their respective local governments, non-governmental organisations, professional societies, and commercial enterprises to spread awareness during the week of World Hypertension Day (WHD) through different media outlets and open demonstrations. Over 250 million people have seen those messages because of mainstream media such as television and the internet.

With each passing year, the WHL hopes to reach almost all of the estimated 1.5 billion individuals who are suffering from high blood pressure. World Hypertension Day 2024 is a result of the passion and selfless efforts of numerous participants from each of the member nations.

The World Hypertension Day’s significance is:

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  Awareness: Encourage people to check their blood pressure daily.
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  Education: Inform the public about the dangers of uncontrolled hypertension.
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  Prevention: Promote lifestyle changes and interventions that prevent and control high blood pressure.

World Hypertension Day 2024: Date and Theme

The World Hypertension Day is observed on Friday, May 17. The theme for this year is ‘Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, and Live Longer.’

First Published: May 17 2024 | 12:39 PM IS