How Luxembourg is tackling high blood pressure

World Hypertension Day, observed on 17 May under the auspices of the World Health Organisation and the World Hypertension League, will be held in 2026 under the slogan ‘Let’s control blood pressure together’. Hypertension has been dubbed a ‘silent disease’ because it often develops without symptoms until critical complications arise, such as a stroke or a heart attack.

WHO statistics for the European Region indicate that more than a third of the adult population aged between 30 and 79 suffer from high blood pressure. This condition is the primary cause of 62% of strokes and plays a key role in half of all heart attacks. Every day in Europe, cardiovascular diseases claim the lives of 10,000 people, accounting for more than 42.5% of all annual deaths.

The situation in Luxembourg remains serious: according to the Health Authority’s 2024 report, circulatory system diseases are the second leading cause of death. In absolute terms, this amounts to 1,006 deaths per year. At the same time, it is a cause for concern that only one in two people with high blood pressure are aware of their diagnosis, making early diagnosis a priority for the government.

As part of the National Plan to Combat Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases (PN MCNV 2023–2027), the authorities of the Grand Duchy are developing a self-monitoring screening programme. This method, implemented with the support of GPs, enables the detection of so-called ‘masked hypertension’, which is difficult to diagnose in a clinical setting due to the short duration of blood pressure measurements. The project is aligned with the European Safe Hearts Plan initiative promoted by the European Commission.

The medical community emphasises that prevention is based on six fundamental principles of lifestyle change. The key factors are completely giving up smoking and alcohol, which directly destabilise blood pressure. Dietary changes play an important role: it is recommended to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, limit salt intake and replace animal fats with vegetable oils.

Physical activity remains just as important — at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day, such as walking or swimming, significantly strengthens the heart muscle. Managing your weight and having your blood pressure checked regularly by your GP remain the most effective ways to prevent disability and premature death.