Hypertension in Kuwait : the past, present and future

الملخص EN

Kuwait is a small country located on the northeastern part of the Arabian Peninsula.

The most recent data on hypertension show: (a) a prevalence rate of 26.3%, (b) awareness of the disorder in only 23% of affected persons, (c) mild to moderate hypertension in 86% of subjects, (d) increased proportion of hypertensive patients at older age, (e) high prevalence in diabetics at age > 35 years and (f) high association with obesity.

Most patients still use beta-blockers with a recent surge in calcium channel-blockers (except for immediaterelease nifedipine) and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors.

Hypertension was responsible for 935 hospital admissions in 1997.

Its related co-morbid conditions such as ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular accidents, congestive heart failure and chronic renal failure were responsible for 4111, 791, 690 and 978, hospital admissions, respectively, during the same year.

Hypertension is the fourth common cause of end-stage renal disease.

The most disturbing observation is the lack of disease awareness and the persistently high mortality rate of the disease and its co-morbid conditions.

Efforts should be directed towards increase of awareness of this important risk factor for cardiovascular disease