The prevalences of hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes are increasing rapidly in Taiwan, with an estimated 198,000 new cases of the three diseases emerging every year, according to a report released Friday by the Department of Health. The estimates are based on the results of a follow-up survey conducted by the Bureau of Health Promotion between June 2007 and May 2008 among 6,600 people aged 15 and older. These same people also took part in a survey carried out in 2002 to assess the prevalence of the three types of diseases. Through various tests provided for the purpose of the survey, 2.75 percent of the respondents were diagnosed as new hypertension cases, 2.06 percent were found to be new cases of hyperlipidemia, and 0.71 percent were new cases of diabetes. The figures translate into the incidence of 490,000 new cases of hypertension, 370,000 new cases of hyperlipidemia and 130,000 new cases of diabetes in the country over the five-year period until 2007, the report said. The survey also found that the risk of hypertension patients developing a stroke or kidney disease within five years is 2.8 times and 1.7 times higher, respectively, than those without the condition. Meanwhile, the risk of diabetes patients developing a stroke or kidney disease within five years is 2.9 times and 2.4 times higher than those without diabetes. 