World Hypertension Day 2025.

/ Articles / By

Dr.C.V.Alert,MB,BS,DM.

RetiringDirector,HeartandStrokeFoundationofBarbados. Family Physician.

World Hypertension Day falls on Saturday,May17,2025. This year’s theme, “MeasureYour Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, Live Longer,” highlights the importance of regular, precise blood pressure checks and management.

How You should Get Involved:

  • CheckYourBloodPressure: Visit a clinic or use a reliable home monitor to check your numbers. An ideal blood pressure for most adults is 130/80 mmHg or lower.
  • AttendScreeningEvents: Encourage community participation in public blood pressure screenings.
  • AdoptaHeart-HealthyLifestyle: Reduce salt intake, exercise regularly, maintain a healthy weight, limit alcohol consumption, get adequate sleep, and quit smoking.
  • Seek professional assistance: If your blood pressure is persistently above 130/80 mmHg, then seek medical advice. A physician should be able to advise on appropriate blood pressure lowering therapies, of working out your chances of developing a severe complication of hypertension, and on avoiding further cardiovascular disease.

The Silent Killer.

Hypertension is often referred to as the “silentkillerorsometimesthesilentenemy”because it presents no symptoms yet can lead to severe complications such as heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, and vision loss. Research conducted in Barbados and across the Caribbean consistently indicates:

  • A rising number of individuals are affected by hypertension, with prevalence increasing over time.
  • Many persons with hypertension are not even aware that they have the disease.
  • Many suffer and die from hypertension-related complications, including heartattacks, strokes, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease.
  • Significant numbers of hypertensive individuals neglect treatment, fail to adopt healthy lifestyle changes, or do not follow up with their doctors to ensure their blood pressure is within safe limits.

The Challenges of Hypertension Management.

Several factors contribute to poor blood pressure control across the Caribbean:

  • Because they have no symptoms, many people don’t take the disease seriously.
  • Some individuals rely on freeanti-hypertensivemedicationsfrom National Drug Formularies, making them vulnerable when pharmacies run out of stock.
  • Clinicalinertia, where some doctors fail to recognize or aggressively treat borderline high blood pressure in high-risk patients.
  • Studies indicate persistent gaps in hypertension management over the years. For example, the ICSHIB study in Barbados (1995) found that 42% of treated patients had uncontrolled blood pressure. Twentyyearslater, the HealthoftheNationStudy(2015) reported the same figure: 42% of treated patients still had uncontrolled hypertension. There is a strong chance that in 2025 (this year) things have not changed.
  • Many persons only visit their doctors when they are sick. With this “silent killer”, this visit may be too late. Routinemedicalvisitscan detect potential critical problems early, and intervene before it is too late. If you wait for symptoms of high blood pressure, the first symptom might well be a heart attack, a stroke or kidney failure. Or even (heaven- forbid) death. It can even lead to long term problems like dementia.

While public health clinics face immense pressure in caring for large patient populations,

individualscanandmusttakechargeoftheirhealth. A Call to Action.

This World Hypertension Day, let’s shift the focus from treatment to prevention. By embracing the theme “MeasureYourBloodPressureAccurately,ControlIt,LiveLonger,” individuals must take control of their cardiovascular health through early detection and healthy lifestyle changes.