Dhaka, March 4 -- Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is the leading risk factor for heart disease and accounts for more than 240,000 deaths annually in Bangladesh.

This preventable cause of heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease can be tackled by strengthening the primary health care system and increasing allocation in the health budget.

This was highlighted during a press conference on improving cardiovascular health in Bangladesh, held at the InterContinental Dhaka hotel on Saturday, the organisers said in a statement.

The event was jointly organised by the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh (NHFB), PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress), Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), and Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL).

"In Bangladesh, o...