About a decade ago it was estimated that globally
3.45 billion adults (20 years and older) were suffering
from high blood pressure (HBP) (Mulrow, 1999). But
now HBP affects 600–800 million people worldwide,
causes over 7 million premature deaths, takes
up 4.5% of the total global disease burden, and
accounts for some 64 million disability adjusted life
years lost according to the World Health Report