The India hypertension control initiative (IHCI) – Need and its important discovery

Context: A project called the India Hypertension Control Initiative (IHCI) finds that nearly 23% out of 2.1 million Indians have uncontrolled blood pressure.

Hypertension

• Hypertension was defined as having a systolic blood pressure level greater than or equal to 140 mmHg or a diastolic blood pressure level greater than or equal to 90 mmHg or/and taking anti-hypertensive medication to lower his/her blood pressure.

How prevalent is the problem of hypertension?

• About one-fourth of women and men aged 40 to 49 years have hypertension.
• Even at an earlier age, one in eight women and more than one in five men aged 30 to 39 years have hypertension.

How do States in the country fare on the hypertension spectrum?

• The southern states have a higher prevalence of hypertension than the national