Hypertension, also known as high or raised blood pressure, is a condition in which the blood vessels have persistently raised pressure. Blood is carried from the heart to all parts of the body in the vessels. Each time the heart beats, it pumps blood into the vessels. Blood pressure is created by the force of blood pushing against the walls of blood vessels (arteries) as it is pumped by the heart. The higher the pressure, the harder the heart has to pump.
World Hypertension Day is observed every year on the 17th of May to bring awareness and attention to this silent epidemic.
“Hypertension is a disease characterised by high blood pressure persistently being recorded in the range of 140/90 or more.”
Hypertension is a serious medical condition and can increase the risk of heart, brain, kidney and other diseases. It is a major cause of premature death worldwide, with upwards of 1 in 4 men and 1 in 5 women – over a billion people – having the condition.
Sadly, hypertension goes undiagnosed until the problem becomes acute – thus, it is also termed as a ‘silent killer’.
The burden of hypertension is felt disproportionately in low- and middle-income countries, where two thirds of cases are found, largely due to increased risk factors in those populations in recent decades
High stress and an unhealthy lifestyle may be some of the reasons for high blood pressure.
According to the WHO, hypertension is a major cause of premature death and nearly 1.13 billion people across the world are currently experiencing or living with high blood pressure.
All adults should have their blood pressure checked. routinely, it is important to know your numbers. If blood pressure is high, they need the advice of a health worker.
For some people, lifestyle changes such as stopping tobacco use, eating healthily, exercising regularly and avoiding the harmful use of alcohol, are sufficient to control blood pressure. Reduction in salt intake can also help. For others, these changes are insufficient and they need prescription medication to control blood pressure.
Adults can support treatment by adhering to the prescribed medication, lifestyle changes and by monitoring their health.
People with high blood pressure that also have high blood sugar, elevated blood cholesterol or kidney damage face even higher risk of heart attacks and stroke. Therefore it is important that regular checks for blood sugar, blood cholesterol and urine albumin take place.
Everyone can take five concrete steps to minimize the odds of developing high blood pressure and its adverse consequences.
- Healthy diet:
- promoting a healthy lifestyle with emphasis on proper nutrition for infants and young people;
- reducing salt intake to less than 5 g of salt per day (just under a teaspoon);
- eating five servings of fruit and vegetables a day;
- reducing saturated and total fat intake.
- Avoiding harmful use of alcohol i.e. limit intake to no more than one standard drink a day
- Physical activity:
- regular physical activity and promotion of physical activity for children and young people (at least 30 minutes a day).
- maintaining a normal weight: every 5 kg of excess weight lost can reduce systolic blood pressure by 2 to 10 points.
- Stopping tobacco use and exposure to tobacco products
- Managing stress in healthy way such as through meditation, appropriate physical exercise, and positive social contact.
Lifestyle choices can help prevent high blood pressure.
? Eat healthily
? Avoid tobacco
? Reduce alcohol
? Stay activeMore tips from @WHO on Tuesday's World Hypertension Day: https://t.co/v5uQgDWQ9t pic.twitter.com/GPZKMQIIaW
— United Nations (@UN) May 17, 2022
