New WHO Signature Initiative paves the way for better heart health

High blood pressure is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and strokes, and CVDs are the leading cause of death in the WHO European Region. WHO Regional Director for Europe Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge will launch a new Signature Initiative on 9 December 2022 that is of particular interest to the countries in the Region with the highest burden of CVDs, the highest prevalence of hypertension and poor hypertension control – and high salt consumption.  

“We must now double down on our efforts to reduce the burden of CVDs by doing what we know to be effective,” said Dr Kluge. “There is growing public awareness that high blood pressure leads to strokes and heart diseases, which can in turn lead to disability or premature death. Our diets, in particular salt intake, are a major cause of hypertension.

Improving hypertension control and introducing salt-reduction strategies are best done not only by bringing together different disciplines and sectors across the health system, but also by engaging with people who have lived experience of hypertension.” 

The probability of early death from a CVD – that is, death between the ages of 30 and 70 years – is almost 5 times higher in some countries in the eastern part of the Region than in those in the west. 

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