American Society of Hypertension, Inc. Supports the World Health Organization's Declaration on Hypertension as a Global Health Issue

NEW YORK, April 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Society of Hypertension, Inc. (ASH) strongly endorses the current efforts of the World Health Organization (WHO)—the United Nations health agency—to bring attention to the prevention and control of hypertension, a global epidemic that affects approximately one billion people worldwide, including one in three adults in the United States.

"Hypertension is one of the most important contributors to stroke and heart disease, which together make up the world's number one cause of premature death and disability," according to WHO. As the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system, WHO is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters; shaping the health research agenda; setting norms and standards; and monitoring and assessing health trends.

In the United States alone, the annual costs of hypertension are $156 billion, with medical costs making up $131 billion and lost productivity from illness or death accounting for the remaining $25 billion, reports the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

The WHO campaign, launched on April 7, 2013, encourages people to measure their blood pressure and take practical, significant steps to improve their health. This initiative mirrors national guidelines on the prevention and treatment of hypertension, as well as ASH's focus on promoting hypertension control through lifestyle changes.

ASH, through its educational activities for health care providers, focuses on communicating new, effective evidence-based treatment strategies for hypertensive patients. With its hypertension community outreach initiative, "Controlling Your Blood Pressure is a Check Away," ASH continues to promote the importance of self-management strategies, including regular blood pressure monitoring and healthy lifestyle modifications, to patients with hypertension and their families.

ASH recognizes the importance of blood pressure control, not only in eradicating hypertension, but also diminishing the burden of its consequences—heart attack and stroke—on individuals, their families and the U.S. healthcare system.

About the American Society of Hypertension, Inc.

The American Society of Hypertension, Inc. (ASH) is the largest U.S. professional organization of scientific investigators and healthcare professionals committed to eliminating hypertension and its consequences. ASH is dedicated to promoting strategies to prevent hypertension and to improving the care of patients with hypertension and associated disorders. The specific focus of the Society is to translate current research findings on hypertension into effective treatment strategies, in order to better address the needs of hypertensive patients. For more information, please visit www.ash-us.org.

SOURCE American Society of Hypertension, Inc.