Posted by Hypertension, or high blood pressure, occurs when blood pushes against blood vessels with too much force over long periods. If left untreated, hypertension can cause serious health issues such as kidney failure, heart attacks, and strokes.
There are an estimated 11 million adults with hypertension in Korea.
29% of Koreans over 30 suffer from hypertension, 23% of women and 35% of men. Back in 1998, only 25% of people with hypertension were diagnosed with it. Awareness has since increased dramatically to 65%, and most Koreans who are diagnosed are treated (61%). However, considering how prevalent hypertension is among Korean adults, the topic is surprisingly unpopular on Korean social media.
However, awareness varies with age group. While around 80% of over 60-year-olds know about their hypertension, that number is only 20% for women in their 30s. At 15%, it is even lower for men in that age group.
Raising hypertension awareness at younger ages will help prevent serious health effects later on in life.
Fostering innovative approaches to make it easier to diagnose and manage hypertension should be a key priority for the Korean health sector.
All figures based on the 2018 Korea Hypertension Fact Sheet
Nico Eggert 