Hypertension And Globalization

Introduction

The impact of modernization, globalization and over competitiveness has been very complex in many dimensions. Human beings have embellished their lives through medical and electronic advances on the one hand and created uncertainty, lethargy and disconnectedness on the other. In the realm of health both physical and mental the most measurable signs have been in terms of escalating hypertension and stress. It is the single most visible global symptom of modernization and imbalanced development (Mohan, 2006).

World Health Organization (2012) reported that Non-communicable diseases are currently responsible for over 60% of global deaths. This burden is one of the major public health challenges faced by all countries, regardless of

The high prevalence of hypertension worldwide has contributed to the present pandemic of cardiovascular disease. World Health Organization South East Asia Region (2013) found that nearly 1.5 million people die due to hypertension making it a leading risk factor for mortality. Hypertension is a term used to describe high blood pressure. Flow of blood is based on the beat of which the heart pumps blood. The pressure of the heart does not stay at the same level at all times. It varies based on activities at a particular point of time. Hypertension occurs as a result to long duration of abnormal pressure of the main arteries. It has been called a silent killer as it is usually without symptoms. Hypertension takes a long time before diagnosed thereby causing major health problems as stroke and other cardiovascular

Messerili et al. (2007) defined essential hypertension as a rise in blood pressure of unknown cause that increases risk for cerebral, cardiac, and renal events. Essential hypertension usually clusters with other cardiovascular risk factors such as ageing, being overweight, insulin resistance, diabetes, and hyperlipidaemia. Subtle target-organ damage such as left-ventricular hypertrophy, microalbuminuria, and cognitive dysfunction takes place early in the course of hypertensive cardiovascular disease. Although catastrophic events such as stroke, heart attack, renal failure, and dementia usually happen after long periods of uncontrolled hypertension only. Essential hypertension accounts for 95% of all cases of hypertension. It is a heterogeneous disorder, with different patients having different causal factors that lead to high Blood Pressure. However, there are factors leading to primary hypertension, which are called “Risk factors”. These risk factors could be the result of genetic and environmental factors such as family history of hypertension and health habits like high level of sodium in diet, alcohol consumption, obesity, physical inactivity, age, and psychological stress (Kamide,