Hypertension Identified as Number One Global Risk for Mortality

Hypertension Identified as Number One Global Risk for Mortality: Hypertension is the leading global risk for mortality, responsible for 12.8% (7.5 million) of total deaths worldwide, according to a new report from the WHO. The report also identified hypertension as responsible for 3.8% of years of life lost due to premature death plus years of healthy life lost due to illness and disability (known as disability-adjusted life years). The WHO report noted that most adults in developing and developed countries have blood pressure that is higher than the ideal level. Average blood pressure levels are particularly high in middle-income European countries and in African countries. At any given age, the risk of dying from high blood pressure in low- and middle-income countries is more than double that in high-income countries. WHO