Essential hypertension among Egyptian adults

ABSTRACT

Background: hypertensive diseases represent a major disease burden in Egypt. The prevalence of hypertension in Egypt in 2008 among adults of age>/= 25 was 17.6%. In 60% of patients, hypertension is usually associated with cardiovascular risk factors. This leads to increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Management of hypertension in Egypt is not easy because of treatment costs and inefficient primary health care system. There is a need for developing national hypertension guidelines to improve the rates of awareness, treatment and control of hypertension with the final goal of preventing and decreasing mortality and morbidity