High blood pressure It's one of the risk factor's which triggers acute myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure and kidney failure (even at an early age) and is one of the causes of disability and early death.

This disease is considered one of the silent enemies of the trilogy of cardio-metabolic pathologies, given that in most cases it does not usually present symptoms either at the beginning or during the years in which it is present.

The World Health Organization (WHO) indicates that high blood pressure causes more than 9 million deaths from heart disease in the world each year, and contributes to the increased risk of blindness and kidney failure.

In Latin America and the Caribbean around 20% and 35% of adults have hypertension, However, there is concern about the accelerated increase in this disease and, above all, people's lack of knowledge about their condition, which is why they do not receive timely treatment and are at constant risk.

The taking of blood pressure is the only way to diagnose this disease to treat it early and reduce its complications. It must be done periodically, identifying that their figures are not higher than 140/90 mmHg, which would indicate that you should receive immediate treatment, in accordance with the Latin American Consensus on Hypertension, international guidelines and scientific evidence. The WHO indicates that “normal blood pressure in adults is 120 mm Hg1 when the heart beats (systolic pressure) and 80 mm Hg when the heart relaxes (diastolic pressure).”

This same international organization highlights that the risk of suffering from hypertension can be reduced by reduce salt consumption, follow a balanced diet, do physical activity (minimum 150 minutes per week) and avoid the consumption of alcohol and tobacco.

According to the doctor Patricio López-Jaramillo, research director of the Foscal Clinic and the Faculty of Health of the UDES "In colombia 4 out of 10 adults are hypertensive, but of them, only 2 know that they are and receive treatment, but only one of them has controlled pressure, a serious situation that puts people at risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke.”

The calculations of Santander Public Health Observatory (OSPS) based on the Comprehensive Information System (SISPRO) of the Ministry of health, indicate that during the five-year period from 2013 to 2017, 511,922 cases of high blood pressure were registered in the department of Santander; That is, more than 100 thousand services per year related to this event, with women consulting the most for this reason (63% versus 37%).

Local initiatives for hypertension control

For some years now the WHO in conjunction with governments, health institutions, universities, etc., promotes 3M strategy (May: Measurement Month) to promote frequent blood pressure taking in the population.

In Santander, the FOSCAL Clinic, the Faculty of Health Sciences of the Autonomous University of Bucaramanga (UNAB) and the University of Santander (UDES), have consolidated efforts to promote free tension measurements in different community, school, work, etc. settings during the month of May. In addition to the above, it seeks to provide basic recommendations for Raise awareness among the population over 18 years of age about the importance of knowing their blood pressure numbers and measuring them periodically.

For its part, a report carried out by the Santander Public Health Observatory (OSPS), having as a source theSISPRO of the Ministry of Health, highlights that care for hypertension increases every year in the region, with an indicator of 87,127 cases in 2013 vs 117,749 care in 2017. Bucaramanga registers the majority of services with 38.5%, while in the metropolitan area they account for 61.8% of the total services.

On the other hand, it has been shown that the High blood pressure is an event almost exclusive to the adult and older adult population., with a record of 99.5% of total care, as follows: adults from 27 to 59 years old with 25.6%; and those over 60 years of age with 73.9% of care.

Do you know the number of deaths caused by hypertension “the so-called silent enemy” in Santander?

The analysis provided by the OSPS, highlights that this disease generated in Santander, during the period 2013 -2017, 1,910 deaths due to high blood pressure as the basic cause (382 deaths per year), being slightly more frequent in women (ratio 1.1 to 1). The departmental mortality rate ranged between 17.8 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants in 2015 (the lowest in the period) and 19.5 deaths per 100 thousand inhabitants in 2014 (the highest in the period).

The highest mortality rates per year and per municipality were presented by the municipality of Galán in 2013, 2015 and 2017 with 206.2, 302.9 and 227.7 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants; Guavatá in 2014 with 133.8 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants and Contracting in 2016 with 115.9 cases per 100 thousand.

During the month of May in Bucaramanga and throughout the country, the MMM-19 initiative is carried out, which aims to ensure that 80,000 Colombians, who do not know the value of their blood pressure, take it for free at the various stations staffed by doctors, nurses and medical students who will be serving the community.