"Taken globally, high blood pressure is no longer a problem of the Western world or wealthy countries. At the same time, high income countries such as Australia, Canada, Germany and Japan have made "impressive reductions" in the prevalence of high blood pressure, the study found. Around a third of woman living in most West African countries also suffer from high blood pressure. People with high blood pressure -- which is also known as hypertension -- have a higher risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and dementia. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), blood pressure is considered as high when it rises to 140/90 and over.

Source: The Nation Bangkok November 16, 2016 00:07 UTC