DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2016.v04i03.002

Pages: 632-639

Hypertension is the most significant modifiable risk factor for congestive heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, coronary heart disease, stroke and end-stage renal disease and so feeling well doesn’t necessarily mean one isn’t at risk. This is unfortunately due to the fact that many people are unaware of having the disease not until they have had a cardiovascular event such as stroke or heart attack. Globally, approximately 7.5 million deaths have been accounted for by hypertension, amounting to 12.8 % worldwide mortalities. This review paper aimed at studying the impact of knowledge of the etiology of hypertension as well as the role epidemiological principles in preventing and controlling hypertension targeted at the risk factors which include modifiable risk factors (unhealthy diet, obesity, too much salt and alcohol consumption, excessive smoking, too little potassium in diet among others) and non-modifiable risk factors (age, family history, race/ethnicity, gender among others).