Expert interview | Fight against the silent killer of preventable hypertension

For generations, hypertension quietly ravaged communities across China, contributing to 60 % of strokes and half of all heart attacks nationwide.

As a cardiovascular expert, Professor Feng Yingqing, Chief Physician of Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, is leading efforts to change this with an innovative approach to managing chronic diseases like hypertension.

Today, we follow her steps on how genetic sequencing technology and a systematic approach became a lifesaving strategy for preventing thousands of heart attacks and strokes.

Limited Local Medical Resources

In rural areas in China, fewer than one in ten hypertension cases were properly managed, leaving many patients without the care they needed. What was often dismissed as a minor inconvenience was, in fact, a deadly threat to public health.

Prof. Feng remembers the early challenges she faced when she first joined the Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital. "Most people think high blood pressure isn't serious, while some clinicians lack training in evidence-based management protocols," she recalls. This dual knowledge gap perpetuates preventable tragedies.

In Liaobu village, where Prof. Feng had been offering health training for over 10 years, the situation was dire. Only 7.6% of hypertensive patients had their condition under control 10 years ago in Liaobu.

Holistic Disease Management

Prof. Feng's solution emerged from a simple but radical premise: treat the whole patient, not just their symptoms. "The management of chronic disease should be holistic, not isolated, as they frequently interact and exhibit comorbidities," she emphasizes.

Prof. Feng began by retraining village doctors and introducing them to a more integrated approach to care. She also implemented a digital tracking system, allowing for continuous patient monitoring. Most importantly, Prof. Feng persuaded local officials to reinvest healthcare savings into prevention programs, ensuring long-term sustainability.

The transformation in Liaobu was profound. Within five years, the local incidence of cardiovascular diseases dropped by 30%, along with a corresponding reduction in healthcare costs. Today, Prof. Feng's model operates across 21 specialized medical centers serving 20 million people in Guangdong.

Hypertension Prevention with Genomics

Renal denervation (RDN) surgery can effectively treat resistant hypertension in young adults with overactive sympathetic nerves (resting heart rate ≥80 bpm). The results have been promising, with 75% of Feng’s patients showing significant improvement.

Prof. Feng’s work has expanded into preventative medicine through a partnership with BGI Genomics. "With molecular testing, we can now pinpoint who's most likely to have strokes or heart attacks. This helps us focus our care and resources where they're needed most," she explains.

By studying genetic markers and patient data, Prof. Feng and her team are identifying key factors that influence the progression of hypertension. This genomic research is complementing her previous efforts, allowing for more personalized intervention strategies.

The ongoing nationwide study of pre-hypertensive diabetics across 400 clinics led by Prof. Feng is poised to change global treatment guidelines. Early findings from this research reveal concerning gaps: 60% of diabetics have undiagnosed hypertension.  

Many others show early signs of vascular damage that are overlooked due to "white coat hypertension." It's also called white coat hypertension, a term for when you get a high blood pressure reading in a doctor's office and a normal reading at home.

"Diabetics are a high-risk group for hypertension. Once hypertension occurs, the damage to their eyes, heart, brain, and kidneys will increase exponentially," Feng explains. These findings reinforce the importance of early detection and holistic management for chronic disease.

Global Adaptable Approach

As rates of stroke and heart attack hospitalizations decline across Guangdong, Prof. Feng's focus has expanded to a broader horizon. “This study establishes standardized protocols for glucose, lipid, and blood pressure control," she notes. "We aim to scale this widely adaptable chronic disease care across China and share our findings globally."

Prof. Feng's journey is a reimagining of how societies can combat chronic disease. Where others saw an inevitable condition, she saw a preventable tragedy. Reflecting on her path, Prof. Feng shares, “My parents always taught me that a doctor's role is to help as many patients as possible and alleviate their suffering."

This philosophy ultimately led her to choose hypertension as her specialty—a field with significant patient needs and opportunities to make an impact. Her lifelong commitment to fighting hypertension and advancing preventive care offers hope for future generations, both in China and across the globe.

About BGI Genomics

BGI Genomics, headquartered in Shenzhen, China, is the world's leading integrated solutions provider of precision medicine. Our services cover more than 100 countries and regions, involving more than 2,300 medical institutions. In July 2017, as a subsidiary of BGI Group, BGI Genomics (300676.SZ) was officially listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.