Pulmonary hypertension: why creating awareness is key in Africa
GERALD J. MAARMAN, Lecturer & Principal Investigator, CARMA: Centre for Cardio-Metabolic Research in Africa, Stellenbosch University PULMONARY hypertension is elevated blood pressure that occurs exclusively in the lungs. It is a deadly condition that affects an estimated 75 million people worldwide. Around 80% of them live in low- and middle-income countries. In a recent literature review, my colleagues and I found that the prevalence of pulmonary hypertension in Africa can range anything from 10% to 68%. Pulmonary hypertension is completely different from systemic hypertension, a disease many people develop between the ages of 55-70. With pulmonary hypertension, cells in the…