The number of Filipino adults, ages 20 and above, diagnosed with hypertension declined from 2018 to 2019 compared to the years 2013 to 2015 based on a study called "Prevalence and Factors Associated with Hypertension among Filipino Adults in Different Survey Periods." Courtesy of Pixabay
The data used in this study were from the 2013 National Nutrition Survey, the 2015 Updating of the Nutritional Status of Filipino Children and Other Population Groups (Updating Survey), and the 2018 – 2019 Expanded National Nutrition Survey by the Department of Science and Technology—Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI), said DOST in a statement on April 20. DOST noted that the study is significant in understanding the factors that lead to the downward trend of the number of hypertensive adults and can help reduce its prevalence to 30 percent between 2010 and 2030. "The percentage of controlled hypertension, that is, having a blood pressure of less than 140 mmHg (systolic) and less than 90 mmHg (diastolic) and taking anti-hypertensive medication among persons with hypertension, improved from 20.7% in 2015 to 29.4% in 2018–2019. Alongside the improvement in controlled hypertension, data shows that the use of anti-hypertensive medications also increased in 2018–2019. The reduction and control of high blood pressure to target levels in individuals with hypertension is important to minimize the risk of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events or all-cause mortality," DOST said. It was also discovered that those ages 60 and older, mostly women, dominate the number of patients with controlled hypertension. "This can be explained by their higher level of attention to healthcare and adherence to prescribed medications. Further, female hearts have the ability to adapt to blood pressure accordingly due to thicker blood vessel walls that can withstand sudden increases in blood pressure," the agency said.

Correlation of Hypertension and educational status

Meanwhile, DOST-FNRI underscored that adults with higher educational attainment had a "higher rate of controlled hypertension than those with lower educational status." Related research conducted in 2014 also showed that the former have more awareness, better income, and better access to anti-hypertensive medications compared to the latter. "Other findings show that hypertension is more common among males and among adults with higher educational attainment and wealth status. The socio-demographic and economic factors that are significantly associated with hypertension are older age and higher wealth status, whereas NCD risk factors that have positive associations with hypertension are obesity, high waist circumference and high waist-hip ratio, alcohol drinking, and binge drinking," DOST said.

Silent killer

High blood pressure develops slowly over time, thus making hypertension a "silent killer," as people show no early symptoms or signs. " It is highly associated with other NCDs [non-communicable diseases] due to constricted blood flow, which can damage the arteries, leading to heart diseases. Persistent elevation of blood pressure results in an increased risk for heart disease, heart failure, and stroke, and is considered a major cause of premature death worldwide," said DOST.