World Hypertension Day

Highlights:

Every year, World Hypertension Day is observed on 17th May
Hypertension is curable with proper medication, dietary changes and lifestyle modifications.

World Hypertension Day is observed on 17th May every year by the World Hypertension League (WHL) in association with the International Society of Hypertension (ISH). The Theme for World Hypertension Day 2018 is "Know your Numbers," with the main goal to create awareness of hypertension (high blood pressure), its symptoms, complications and preventive measures to the community.

High Blood Pressure | Hypertension - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment
High blood pressure or hypertension is a chronic condition, which usually lasts a lifetime once it is developed.

‘Hypertension is a condition diagnosed with high levels of blood pressure.The normal value for blood pressure is 120/80 mm Hg.’

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What is Hypertension?

Hypertension is also known as high or elevated blood pressure. According to World Health Organization, Hypertension is a condition in which the blood vessels have continuously raised pressure. Blood is carried from the heart to all parts of the body.

Every individual has blood pressure which is necessary to move blood through the arteries and provide oxygen to the tissues in the body. Blood pressure is caused by the force of blood pushing against the walls of arteries due to the contraction of the heart. Blood pressure is generally measured using an instrument known as a sphygmomanometer.

Blood pressure is measured in terms of systolic pressure (upper value), i.e. when the heart beats while pumping the blood, and diastolic pressure (lower value), i.e. when the heart is at rest between beats.

Quiz on Hypertension
It stealthily creeps in and catches people unawares. Find out more about this ‘silent killer’ by participating in the quiz.

Facts and Statistics on Hypertension

Globally, at least 1.13 billion adults are suffering from high blood pressure
Worldwide, around 10.3 million people die due to hypertension every year
High blood pressure increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, which are the leading causes of death
Nearly 75 million American adults have hypertension
About one in three American adults has pre-hypertension
In India, nearly 33-40% of the urban population and 12-17% of the rural population are affected by hypertension.

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The DASH diet is likely to be an ideal preventive approach for those who are at high risk for gout, especially those who also have hypertension.

Types of Hypertension

Hypertension can be divided into;

Primary Hypertension which is caused by no underlying medical cause.
Secondary Hypertension is caused by certain conditions such as heart disease, kidney disease, endocrine disorders and so on.

Blood Pressure Chart

Blood Pressure Category	Systolic mm Hg	Diastolic mm Hg
Normal	Less than 120	Less than 80
Prehypertension	120-139	80-89
Mild Hypertension	140-159	90-99
Moderate Hypertension	160 or higher	100 or higher
Severe Hypertension	Above 200	Above 200

Obesity - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Complications, Treatment
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Risk Factors of Hypertension

The factors which increase the risk of hypertension are:

Age
Obesity
Heredity
Improper diet
Salt sensitivity
Alcohol consumption
Disease conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, renal diseases.

What are the Symptoms of Hypertension?

Many individuals with hypertension may not have symptoms whereas few show symptoms such as:

Headache
Dizziness
Shortness of breath
Tiredness
Blurred vision
Pain over the heart
Gastrointestinal disturbances.

Healthy Ways to Treat and Prevent Hypertension

Hypertension can be treated or prevented with certain healthy lifestyle modifications like

Proper medications
Eating a healthy diet which has low calories, low fat, low sodium
Regular physical activity (at least three to four times a week for 40 minutes)
Quit smoking and alcohol consumption.

Consuming a healthy diet plays a key role to combat hypertension. A well-known saying by Thomas A. Edison, “The doctor of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs, but rather will cure and prevent disease with nutrition.”

Importance of DASH Diet

DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet can be a healthy way to lower the risk of hypertension. DASH eating plan lowers the salt content from 2.3 gm per day to 1.5gm, thereby decreasing the levels of high blood pressure. The guidelines for DASH diet are given below.

Food groups	DASH (servings)
Cereals and grains	7-8
Fruits	4-5
Vegetables	4-5
Milk (low-fat)	2-3
Meat (lean meats, poultry& fish)	2 or less
Nuts, seeds and legumes	4-5 per week
Fats and sweets	Limited

Therefore, let us fight against hypertension which is a “silent killer” with proper medication, dietary changes and lifestyle modifications. It is necessary to monitor blood pressure regularly for adults.

References :

Hypertension - (http://www.who.int/topics/hypertension/en/)
What Is the DASH Diet? - (http://dashdiet.org/what_is_the_dash_diet.asp)
High Blood Pressure & Kidney Disease - (https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/kidney-disease/chronic-kidney-disease-ckd/high-blood-pressure)
High Blood Pressure Fact Sheet - (https://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/data_statistics/fact_sheets/fs_bloodpressure.htm)

Source-Medindia