Alarming Data on Prevalence and Insufficient Treatment of Hypertension in Working Age − Another Underestimated 'Civilization Epidemic'?

Estimates previously considered exaggerated are unfortunately confirmed

As derived from the current data by the director of ÚZIS, Prof. RNDr. Ladislav Dušek, Ph.D., and insights from the practice of Prof. MUDr. Aleš Linhart, DrSc., head of the 2nd Department of Internal Medicine − Department of Cardiology and Angiology at 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, hypertension is still inadequately and late treated in the Czech Republic. Although its compensation makes sense at any age, it is underestimated especially in younger and middle-aged individuals.

Current statistical data are alarming. A third of the adult Czech population visits a doctor for a hypertension diagnosis during the year − this means 2.2 million people with proven treated high blood pressure. According to estimates, another third of those affected by this diagnosis are unaware of their hypertension. This corresponds to the results of the MONICA study on the 40% prevalence of hypertension in the adult Czech population, which has so far been considered exaggerated.

Moreover, hypertension is by no means the domain of only the elderly. About 900 thousand patients, i.e. 40% of individuals with known hypertension, are in the productive age of 20−65 years. Consequently, around 10 thousand people under the age of 65 die prematurely each year in the Czech Republic due to hypertension.

Poorly treated hypertension is even worse than untreated

Data from NKIS can also show all major medical interventions for patients with hypertension, such as necessary hospitalizations, but also who is treating hypertension, what therapy these patients are using, and what changes are happening in its management. These figures are not very encouraging either: 80% of hypertension treatment falls on the shoulders of general practitioners, whose network and capacity are starting to be insufficient in the Czech Republic. Patient compliance with therapy is also not very high. Even though people with hypertension visit their general practitioner more often than the general population, about 40% of hypertensive patients do not have routine preventive check-ups.

Clinical research results today show that inadequately compensated, or poorly treated hypertension is associated with even greater health risks than untreated hypertension, which may be due to blood pressure variability as a result of non-compliance.

Dramatic increase in associated risks and costs

According to Professor Linhart, within the National Cardiovascular Plan, efforts must be directed towards educating the younger generation to avoid repeating the mistakes of their parents and to take responsibility for their health. Although hypertension 'does not hurt', it means a dramatic increase in the risk of other chronic diseases, especially diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and malignant tumors. More than 60% of hypertensive individuals over 40 years old suffer from another chronic comorbidity.

Data from a newly emerging project based on the cooperation of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of the Czech Republic and the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic show that individuals with hypertension are more often and for longer periods of permanent work incapacity, consume more care resources than the population average, and if they are of productive age, the number of days of temporary work incapacity is double that of the general population. All of this means annual additional costs in the order of billions of CZK.

(zza)

Source: Linhart A., Dušek L. Interview within the XXXII Annual Congress of the Czech Society of Cardiology, Brno, May 2024. ČKS TV. Available at: https://vimeo.com/mobymedia/review/943129227/c208a7481a