TEHRAN – The health ministry has launched an online self-declaration form for blood pressure on its website.

The online system targets citizens with 30 years old and above, pregnant women and patients suffering from kidney failure of all ages.

The form is available on the website salamat.gov.ir.

Last week, the Health Ministry’s director for non-communicable diseases Afshin Ostovar announced that about 100,000 Iranians lost their life for high blood pressure annually.

Hypertension is a common condition in which the long-term force of the blood against your artery walls is high enough that it may eventually cause health problems, such as heart disease.

The National Campaign for Controlling Hypertension, which began on May 17, World Hypertension Day, focuses on the issue as one of the most important disease lead to cardiovascular disease, which has about 40 percent share of the death in Iran.

During the campaign, which continues until June 6, people are notified about the campaign, its subject and targets and from June 6 to July 6 the field works are carried out such as taking the blood pressure of target groups, registering their information and referring the patients to specialists.

World Health Organization (WHO) has set a target for a 25% relative reduction in the prevalence of raised blood pressure by 2025.

According to WHO, raised blood pressure caused an estimated 9.4 million deaths in 2010. It is a major cardiovascular risk factor and a leading risk factor for global deaths.

SB/MQ/MG