High Blood Pressure Persists as Australia’s Primary Killer, Decades of Data Confirms

High blood pressure remains Australia’s top killer for three decades, emphasising a critical need for nationwide interventions to tackle the silent threat, new research reveals. About 34 percent of adults have high blood pressure, yet it’s often overlooked in national health plans, particularly in Australia, which lags in managing hypertension. Better diets and less smoking are key to lowering high blood pressure, and a 25 percent drop in its occurrence in Australia could save about 37,000 lives each year. Cardiovascular Professor Alta Schutte said it was “past time” for Australia to act. “Effective population-level blood pressure control is an urgent national health priority,” she said....