Shanghai Daily News

China must enhance education, intervention and treatment for hypertension, which is a main cause of cardiac diseases, medical experts said at a health care forum in Shanghai yesterday.

The number of strokes, miocardial infractions and heart failures in China will hit a peak in 10 to 20 years if proper steps aren't taken, they added.

The forum also noted that hypertension and related ailments are most common during the winter.

Currently, there are 160 million people suffering from hypertension in China. Every 12 seconds, one person dies of diseases resulting from hypertension in the nation.

It takes 10 to 20 years for someone suffering from hypertension to develop related syndromes, doctors said.

"Hypertension has become increasing significantly in the last 10 years in China," said Dr Zhang Weizhong from Ruijin Hospital.