On the occasion of World Hypertension Day, celebrated this Sunday (May 17), the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare (MSPBS) intensified awareness actions on arterial hypertension, a condition that already affects 38.6% of the Paraguayan population. With the motto “Controlling hypertension together: check your blood pressure regularly, defeat the silent killer,” this year's campaign focuses on shared responsibility among families, communities, and healthcare networks.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 1.4 billion people worldwide live with high blood pressure, but most are unaware of the diagnosis due to the absence of symptoms. Despite the existence of effective and low-cost treatments, only one in four diagnosed individuals manages to keep their values under control, which increases the risks of acute myocardial infarction, stroke, and chronic kidney diseases.
The MSPBS recommends adopting healthy habits from childhood and adolescence: balanced diet, regular physical activity, drastic reduction of salt intake, tobacco abstinence, and moderate alcohol consumption. Effective control of the disease requires long-term medical follow-up and constant use of prescribed medications in primary care units.