New Delhi (Sputnik) — With hypertension threatening India's population dividend, the government has launched an ambitious program to raise awareness on coping with high blood pressure by promoting Yoga and dietary discipline.
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The month-long program is being executed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in collaboration with the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), the International Society of Hypertension, and 50 other partner institutions across the country.
The adult hypertension prevalence in India has shown a drastic increase over the past three decades in urban as well as rural areas. It is estimated that 16 percent of ischaemic heart disease, 21 percent of peripheral vascular disease, 24 percent of acute myocardial infarctions and 29 percent of strokes are attributed to hypertension, according to the ICMR.
"Prevalence of high blood pressure in the population is symptomatic of the imbalanced lifestyle and living priorities. India, although has an increasing number of young population, the current trend of a society prone to hypertension could result in a major loss of population dividend for this nation," Dr. Sameer Dalwai, a prominent health writer and senior member of the Indian physician community told Sputnik.
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Hypertension is attributable to 10.8 percent of all deaths in India. It is one of the leading causes of premature deaths, as it is directly responsible for 29 percent of all strokes and 24 percent of heart attacks in India, Professor Balram Bhargava, director general of ICMR said during the launch of the program in New Delhi on Thursday.