title: Screening programs for hypertension.
abstract: MAJOR SCREENING PROGRAMS FOR HYPERTENSION ARE NECESSARY FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS: (a) the 12 to 15% prevalence of hypertension in the North American population; (b) the high proportion of hypertensive patients who are inadequately treated or whose disease is not even recognized; (c) the fact that in too many medical centres hypertension is poorly investigated or considered an insignificant finding; (d) the demonstration by many groups, especially the Framingham study, of hypertension as the major factor in the occurrence of severe cardiovascular disease; and (e) the achievement of a marked decrease in severe cardiovascular complications following adequate treatment. But such screening programs are of little value if unaccompanied by a major educational effort directed not only to the public but also to the medical profession, and a parallel increase in the funding of biomedical research into the basic physiopathological mechanisms of hypertension.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006268:Health Facilities; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D006977:Hypertension, Renal / Q000175:diagnosis; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D012083:Renin / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D012083:Renin