Blood Pressure on the Rise Across Schleswig-Holstein: AOK Nordwest's Analysis
Nearly a fourth of residents in the northern region suffer from high blood pressure. - Over a quarter of individuals residing in the northern region exhibit elevated blood pressure levels.
Let's dive into some eye-opening numbers! The AOK Nordwest health insurance company has released an analysis that sheds light on high blood pressure cases in Schleswig-Holstein. The stunning revelation? More than a quarter of the insured population over 20 years old are dealing with this condition.
According to the analysis, the year 2023 saw 655,300 people in this age group grappling with high blood pressure, accounting for 27.1% of the entire population. This figure is slightly lower compared to the previous year when 27.7% of people above 20 had high blood pressure, amounting to 664,400 individuals, as reported by AOK Nordwest.
Interestingly, women seem to be more prone to this condition in Schleswig-Holstein, with record-keeping showing a higher percentage of women (28.5%) having high blood pressure compared to men (25.7%).
To treat this condition, doctors in Schleswig-Holstein prescribed approximately 5.3 million packs of blood pressure-lowering medications in 2023. These prescriptions accounted for about a quarter (23.3%) of all prescriptions for finished medicines. The statement also revealed that the statutory health insurers shelled out over 123 million euros for these medications.
Untreated high blood pressure can lead to a host of grave conditions such as strokes, heart attacks, coronary heart disease, and retinal circulatory disorders that might even cause blindness. Moreover, high blood pressure could also be a potential risk factor for the dreaded dementia.
- Schleswig-Holstein
- High Blood Pressure
- Women
- AOK Nordwest
- Blood Pressession Prescriptions
- Community policy: Monitoring the increasing cases of high blood pressure in Schleswig-Holstein could be a significant focus in AOK Nordwest's community policy.
- Health-and-wellness: Encouraging health-and-wellness initiatives, such as fitness-and-exercise, mental-health awareness, and proper nutrition, may help reduce high blood pressure rates.
- Vocational training: Offering vocational training programs that emphasize wellness and healthcare careers, particularly in cardiovascular health and women's health, could provide long-term benefits for the local community.
- Science and medical-conditions: Given the concerning data on high blood pressure, there is ample opportunity for scientific research to develop more effective treatments and prevention methods for this condition.
