NON COMMUNICABLE DISEASES

Abstract

Non Communicable Diseases (NCD’s), the emerging of major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide including developing countries, are estimated to accounts for 50% of total deaths in Pakistan according to WHO country profile of 2014. Hypertension was recognized but considered as essential response to aging and not a treatable condition. American president Franklin D. Roosevelt had a blood pressure of 200/120 but his physician gave him a clean bill of health. He subsequently had a fatal hemorrhage. Hypertension was not given the name but was recognized as hard pulse since ancient times. The debate continued even in 1960s to treat and not treat hypertension. It was labeled as essential hypertension as a part of aging process and not considered a disease. The Medical research council in UK conducted first Randomized Controlled Trial (RTC) in 1948; thus leading a way to develop further studies in treatment of diseases. The first such a trial was conducted for thiazides and thiazides like compounds for treatment of blood pressure. Since then there has been a number of trials beginning with (VA1-2 VA cooperative study 1967 and 1970) trial in 1967 to SPRINT (Systolic Hypertension intervention trial) in 20151,4.