Salt Blamed for China's 200 Mil. Hypertension Cases

High levels of dietary salt is blamed as a leading cause of the 200 million cases of high blood pressure in China, according to experts. Hypertension has been identified as the leading preventable cause of death in China, taking 2.3 million lives last year.

Experts estimate that 3 million new hypertension patients are added each year. Smoking is behind hypertension as the second leading cause of heart disease in China.

The third national Hypertension Awareness Day was held by the Chinese Medical Association and Pfizer in Beijing on October 8 to to improve education for the management of the disease and to promote the correct use of hypertension drugs among the medical workers and patients.