The burden of blood pressure: where are we and where should we go?

Hypertension and related diseases are a global burden of cardiovascular disorders. Ischemic heart disease and cardiovascular disease rank fourth and fifth among the 10 leading causes of mortality worldwide. A generation from now, these diseases will be an epidemic for which we should be ready and against which we should attempt to find the best preventive measures. In Canada, the percentage of cardiovascular deaths increases with age. After the age of 50 years, these deaths actually exceed 50% of total mortality. Cardiovascular diseases also have the highest financial health care costs. The newest guidelines from national and international societies have a unifying goal of controlling cardiovascular burden. Guidelines of the international societies are written for a worldwide audience, including countries with very variable health care systems. However, the supreme goal is universal - to lower blood pressure and other risk factors to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease with its fatal consequences.