Hypertension-related diseases as a common cause of hospital mortality in Tanzania

Abstract

NCDs account for half of all deaths, admissions and hospital days at our Tanzanian hospital and hypertension-related diseases were the most common NCD. Hypertension accounted for 34% of NCD deaths and 15% of all deaths. Hypertension was the second most common cause of death overall and the leading cause of death in patients more than 50 years old. More than half of hypertension-related deaths occurred before retirement age. These findings have important implications for public health and medical education in sub-Saharan Africa, wherein hypertension and related diseases have not traditionally been given a high priority.