This 4-year countrywide community survey was conducted with collaborative efforts between Pakistan Medical Research Council, Federal Bureau of Statistics of Pakistan, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, USA and Center of Disease Control, USA (CDC). It provides a detailed picture of patterns of disease, conditions and risk factors, which affect the health of Pakistanis. According to NHSP Ischaemic Heart Disease (IHD) was reported as 12% of the adult mortality in Pakistan.

Hypertension is the most common risk factor of IHD in Pakistan and there were according to NHSP, an estimated 12 million hypertensives in the country of the total 120 million population.49

The prevalence of hypertension (blood pressure∶140\90 mmHg or on anti- hypertensive drugs) was seen in 17.9 % of the overall adult population with 16.4% and 21.5% being the rural and urban prevalence respectively. Above the age of 45 years, one in three Pakistanis (33%) was hypertensive and overall, only 3% of the hypertensives were adequately controlled. Furthermore 85% of hypertensives in rural areas were unaware of their hypertension.