A growing number of Canadians have high blood pressure or hypertension, which worries medical professionals because it might lead to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes, a new report has found.
New survey results released Tuesday, October 18 by Heart & Stroke detail a concerning trend in these health conditions, which can also cause heart disease.
Currently, one in four Canadians suffers from high blood pressure. Due to the pandemic, doctors predict that number will continue to grow due to new undiagnosed cases and an increase in lifestyle risk factors, according to the report.
In a survey of nearly 1,000 healthcare professionals, researchers found that eight out of 10 doctors are concerned regarding the growing number of adults with high blood pressure.
The aging of the population and the increase in the number of adults being diagnosed at a young age, as well as the pandemic and the lack of education are among their main concerns.
Stress, poor diet, lack of exercise, increased alcohol consumption and obesity all contribute to higher risks of hypertension, which have increased since the pandemic, doctors have reported.
Physicians included in the study are also concerned that the pandemic has contributed to people with previously diagnosed cases being less vigilant regarding managing their condition, due to lack of access to screenings and appointments. nobody.
Seven in 10 healthcare professionals surveyed attributed the growing number of new diagnoses to lack of access to annual health checkups, which include blood pressure screening, as well as a lack of public education regarding hypertension .
Additionally, more than half of the healthcare professionals included in the report believed that low-income and racialized communities were at higher risk of hypertension due to social determinants such as income, access to healthy foods and education.
The report clearly indicates that education, awareness and improved access might help address the rise in hypertension among Canadians.
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