One in five adults (21%) in Bangladesh suffer from high blood pressure, which is likely to lead to heart disease, according to health experts.
High blood pressure increases the risk of various noncommunicable diseases, especially heart disease, according to authorities of the Non-Communicable Disease Control (NCDC) program of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Their remarks came at a press conference on the occasion of World Hypertension Day, held on Saturday to create public awareness about the disease and its possible treatments.
The experts said high blood pressure patients had been receiving free medical services under the NCDC program in various government hospitals.
NCDC Director Prof Robed Amin said: "High blood pressure cases have been alarmingly increasing in the country. All government agencies, including the health sectors, non-governmental organizations and the media, must work together to tackle this crisis.”
Founder of the National Heart Foundation National Prof Brig (rtd) Abdul Malik said just building hospitals would not cure the disease. “We need to focus on prevention, rather than focusing on building further facilities for the patients.”
He suggested everyone avoid consuming excess salt, fast food, alcohol and tobacco.
“Exercising or staying physically active is also very important,” he added.
