The primary prevention of high blood pressure--a population approach.

The primary prevention of high blood pressure is one of the more significant challenges to scientists and public health leaders alike. The areas of relative certainty and uncertainty reviewed here about the potential for prevention may be taken up by official bodies and translated into more specific recommendations. Prevention principles can be applied to each of the major precursors of hypertension in the population. The potential for prevention along with relative safety is sufficient for action. Prevention of high blood pressure in whole communities is possible and an eating and activity pattern which is attractive and feasible can be proposed and modeled to different traditional cultures. Medical preventive strategies are proposed along with reasonable, practical, safe, feasible, credible community-based programs as the principal mode of dissemination. In such programs, health professionals and medical services share roles with community leaders and organizations. A population strategy is essential to the primary prevention of hypertension. Further research is needed in prevention and health promotion methods.