Key facts
- An estimated 1.28 billion adults aged 30–79 years worldwide have hypertension, most (two-thirds) living in low- and middle-income countries
- An estimated 46% of adults with hypertension are unaware that they have the condition.
- Less than half of adults (42%) with hypertension are... diagnosed and treated.
- Approximately 1 in 5 adults (21%) with hypertension have it under control.
- Hypertension is a major cause of premature death worldwide.
- One of the global targets for noncommunicable diseases is to reduce the prevalence of hypertension by 33% between 2010 and 2030.
more
A collection of 8 infographics on Household Air Pollution.
Air pollution is a familiar environmental health hazard. We know what we’re looking at when brown haze settles over a city, exhaust billows across a busy highway, or a plume rises from a smokestack. Some air pollution is not seen, but its pungent smell alerts you.
CVDs are the number 1 cause of death globally: more people die annually from CVDs than from any other cauAn estimated 17.5 m
The combined effects from ambient (outdoor) air pollution and indoor (household, in particular) air pollution cause approximately 7 million premature deaths every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, IHD, COPD, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections (1). Air pollution ...can occur in both the outdoor and indoor environments. Cook-stoves in homes, motor vehicles, industrial facilities and forest fires are common sources of air pollution. Air pollutants with the strongest evidence for adverse health outcomes include particulate matter (PM; both PM 2.5 (i.e. particles with an aerodynamic diameter
equal to or less than 2.5 μm) and PM10 (i.e. particles with an aerodynamic diameter equal to or less than 10 μm), ozone (O 3), nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) and carbon monoxide (CO). Air pollution is however composed of many more pollutants (1).
more
The document outlines strategies for reducing salt intake to combat high blood pressure, strokes, and heart disease in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. It highlights the need for progressive reductions in salt consumption, particularly in staple foods like bread, while promoting public awareness, e...ngaging stakeholders, and setting regulatory standards to achieve sustainable health benefits.
more
Peripheral artery disease is similar to coronary artery disease (CAD).
Peripheral artery disease is a narrowing of the peripheral arteries that carry blood away from the heart to other parts of the body. The most common type is lower-extremity PAD, in which blood flow is reduced to the legs and fee...t. Upper-extremity PAD (arms, hands and fingers) is less common but affects about 10% of the population.
Both PAD and coronary artery disease are caused by atherosclerosis, the buildup of fatty plaque in the arteries that narrows and blocks them throughout the body, including in the heart, brain, arms, legs, pelvis and kidneys.
more
All health workers would benefit from gaining knowledge and skills to protect individuals and communities from air pollution exposure. This course examines the main health impacts of air pollution and which roles health workers can play to protect and promote people’s health.
The document presents a systematic analysis of dietary risks and their health impacts in 195 countries from 1990 to 2017. It highlights that suboptimal diets, such as those high in sodium and low in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, significantly contribute to non-communicable diseases like hear...t disease, stroke, and diabetes. The study emphasizes the urgent need for improved dietary habits and policy interventions to reduce diet-related mortality and morbidity globally.
more
Air pollution is the top environmental threat to health in Europe. It leads to hundreds of thousands premature deaths per year and billions of Euros in health costs.
About six to seven million people worldwide, mostly in Latin America, are estimated to be infected with
Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasite that causes Chagas disease (WHO data from 2021). Chagas disease is
found mainly in endemic areas of 21 Latin American countries.
Atherosclerosis is the build-up of fatty material (atheroma) inside your arteries. It's a potentially serious condition that causes most heart attacks and strokes but often goes unnoticed.
A short Guide for Health Practitioners
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in the legs or lower extremities is the narrowing or blockage of the vessels that carry blood from the heart to the legs. It is primarily caused by the buildup of fatty plaque in the arteries, which is called atherosclerosis. PAD can happen in any blood vessel, but ...it is more common in the legs than the arms.
more
Cardiovascular disease (CVD), also called heart and circulatory disease, is an umbrella name for conditions that affect your heart or circulation. These include high blood pressure, stroke and vascular dementia.
Cardiovascular diseases are the world’s leading cause of disability and death. Such diseases were responsible in 2019 for an estimated 18.6 million deaths globally and 957,000 deaths in the United States.
Services, Identified needs and recommendations following the April and May 2015 Earthquakes in Nepal