The World Heart Federation has launched the third in a series of roadmaps, the latest one focusing on raised blood pressure and hypertension during the 2015 World Health Assembly in Geneva. The Raised Blood Pressure Roadmap has been developed by leading cardiovascular disease experts, policy makers and other experts with a stake in cardiovascular disease, the purpose being to provide countries with practical advice and support on dealing with the problem of raised blood pressure, providing the tools needed to improve healthcare and prevent cardiovascular disease in low, middle and high-income countries.

Raised blood pressure quick facts

  • Raised blood pressure is one of the leading causes of premature death worldwide and the problem is growing - in 2025 it is estimated there will be 1.56 billion adults living with raised blood pressure
  • Globally nearly 1 billion people have raised blood pressure and two thirds of these are in developing countries
  • The World Health Organization rates hypertension as one of the most important causes of premature death
  • Although increasing blood pressure is part of aging, it is a modifiable risk factor. A healthy low salt diet, physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight can reduce the risk of this happening

This Roadmap will also help drive the WHO target of reducing heart attack and stroke by 2025, which is a focal point of activity for the World Heart Federation. Professor David Wood from the World Heart Federation, said: "With cardiovascular disease the world's number one killer, we must take action now to raise awareness of the key risk factors and how to reduce them. Raised blood pressure is one of these risk factors and this is why we have produced this third roadmap, following on from secondary prevention and tobacco. We want to give countries practical strategies that will work whether they are high, middle or low income and will encourage them to work collaboratively with other organisations to ensure local coordination and ultimately reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease."

The Raised Blood Pressure Roadmap was launched in Geneva during World Health Assembly week at an event attended by cardiovascular and health experts from across the globe. Alma Adler, Science Officer at the World Heart Federation commented: "We are delighted to be launching the Roadmap during World Health Assembly Week when the spotlight is on Geneva and so many important figures in the world of health and development are present. We cannot ignore the issue of Raised Blood Pressure, which is all too often a silent killer, and the Roadmap will go some way to help us bring it under control and achieve the vital target of 25x25."

The Roadmap was developed by a team of leading cardiovascular disease experts from around the world, including Alma Adler, World Heart Federation, Dorairaj Prabhakaran, Public Health Foundation of India, P Bovet, Lausanne University Hospital, Dhruv Khazi, University of San Francisco, Giuseppe Mancia, European Society of Cardiology, V Mungal-Singh, Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa and Neil Poulter, Imperial College London.

To download the roadmap or for more details please visit www.worldheart.org.