Facts about high blood pressure

Facts about high blood pressure (hypertension)

• Hypertension is the most common long-term condition in Southwark with over 27,000 detected cases to date out of a total population of 250,000 — that’s more than one person in 10.The true figure is thought to be nearly double this (see below).
• It is especially prevalent in Southwark because Black Africans and Black Caribbeans are genetically at higher risk of developing the condition. It appears at a younger age in these groups, and they have an increased risk of death from stroke and end stage renal failure.
• Considering the cultural diversity and the high level of deprivation, detection and adequate control of hypertension is a most challenging task.  However, great effort put in by the primary care clinicians has resulted in detecting more cases and successfully treating larger numbers.
• By March 2006, 90% of patients known to have hypertension had had their blood pressure checked within the previous 9 months.  Of those, 70% had their blood pressure controlled adequately.
• But there is still much to be done. Applying national data to the age and sex profile of Southwark gives a ‘synthetic’ estimate of about 47,000 people with hypertension. This means that only 52% of all estimated hypertensives are actually detected, 47% are followed up (within the previous 9 months) and 33% are adequately controlled. 
• We have a Public Service Agreement (PSA) target requiring 75% of patients with known hypertension to be adequately controlled by 2008.