Published On : Tue, May 17th, 2022

No tension: Fewer people take BP pills in Vidarbha as compared to State: Survey

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Nagpur: The findings revealed by the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS) say that an average 18.7% men and 19.8% women in Vidarbha take medication to control their blood pressure (BP). This percentage is less than Maharashtra’s average of 24% and national average of 26.6%.

The NFHS dedicated its survey to hypertension and blood sugar because these two have been major risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney diseases, brain diseases and major causes of premature deaths. The survey has details about gender, age, habitat (urban/rural), education and religion-wise details of the hypertension prevalence in the country.

As per the doctors, not only those who have increased blood pressure but also some of those who are in the pre-hypertensive stage need a BP pill daily. The percentage of such patients is at least 5% fewer in Vidarbha than the state and national average. Doctors attribute these statistics to a lack of awareness and testing in Vidarbha.

The survey:

* 12% women (15-49 years) in Maharashtra have hypertension; 36.6% pre-hypertensive

* 23.1% women taking medicine to lower blood pressure

* 19% men have hypertension, 48% pre-hypertensive

* 24.4% men taking medicine to lower blood pressure

* For both women and men, hypertension increases with age