Do you want to learn more about high blood pressure?
Introduction

“I struggled to accept the diagnosis at first, because in my mind, only ‘old’ people had high blood pressure and I was just 48 years young! Now I know that whatever your age, it’s important to look after your body.”
- PatientHigh blood pressure (also known as hypertension) is one of the most common medical conditions and its prevalence continues to rise. According to a recent study, the number of people affected by high blood pressure has almost doubled over the past 40 years, with about 1.13 billion people living with the condition worldwide.
As hypertension generally develops over many years with no distinctive warning signs or symptoms, many people don’t even realize they have high blood pressure. Left untreated, it can lead to life-threatening conditions such as heart failure, stroke or kidney disease. The World Health Organization estimates that hypertension causes 7.5 million deaths a year, which equates to about 12.8% of all deaths worldwide.
Many of these deaths could be prevented, as high blood pressure can be detected with a simple test and can often be controlled with a healthier lifestyle and appropriate medication.
About this eBook
This eBook has been developed by Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd as a resource to help the understanding of hypertension. It provides a useful summary of current information about the condition, the diagnosis procedure and available treatments. It also outlines the strategies people with hypertension can use to manage their condition as effectively as possible.
The book is intended for the use of a general audience.
Complications of untreated hypertension
