Most hypertension in Europe not controlled

WARWICK, England, Nov. 13 (UPI) -- More than half of people diagnosed with high blood pressure in Europe do not have it under control and many go undiagnosed, a British researcher said.

Franco Cappuccio of the Warwick University Medical School in England led the only British team in a European study examining awareness, treatment and control of high blood pressure, or hypertension. Hypertension is an important cause of heart attacks and strokes.

The study, published in the Journal of Hypertension, examined 1,604 citizens from three geographical areas: London; the Limburg area of Belgium and the Abruzzo area in Italy. All participants underwent a medical examination, including blood pressure measurement, and answered a lifestyle and health questionnaire.

The study found 24 percent of participants had high blood pressure and 56 percent were not aware of their condition. Of those that were aware, fewer than half had their high blood pressure under control -- less than 140 mmHg for systolic pressure and 80 for diastolic pressure.

"Our results show that high blood pressure is a looming problem for Europe. Although in the British management of high blood pressure is better as compared to some other countries, in part due to the incentives that physicians receive to achieve blood pressure targets," Cappuccio said in a statement. "We still have too many patients not adequately treated and the incidence of hypertension is rising still."