Ageing: addressing access, affordability and compliance

While many risk factors for high blood pressure are related to lifestyle, healthy lifestyle changes alone cannot mitigate some of its important predictors. These include being over 65 years of age, and having a family history of high blood pressure and co-morbidities, such as diabetes.

Managing high blood pressure may involve the use of medication, accompanied by a healthy lifestyle. Healthy ageing with hypertension requires accessible and affordable medications with an easy-to-follow regimen.

Recently, high-level officials from health and finance ministries in 27 countries and other experts throughout the European Region renewed their support for universal health coverage, saying that all people should have access to the health services they need, without incurring devastating financial risk. The group pointed to the need to ensure an adequate supply of high-quality and affordable essential medicines. Out-of-pocket payments are a serious problem for poor and chronically ill people, with expenses for medicines identified as the most important reason.