Speakers at different functions held in connection with "World Hypertension Day" observed here on Monday like other parts of the world called for adopting healthy lifestyle to check rising burden of diseases. More than one billion people are suffering from hypertension world-wide and only 12 percent are controlling it effectively.
Two out of three people with high blood pressure are unaware of the condition and is estimated that one in four between the ages of 15 and 64 years suffers from high blood pressure, they said.
Pakistan Medical Society (PMS) organised a function here on Monday in which speakers said, "Hypertension is one of the leading causes of heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure and premature death. A normal blood pressure is ideally 120/80 or less and a high-normal reading may go up to 139/89. An uncontrolled, high blood pressure can lead to a heart attack or stroke, kidney failure and damage to eyesight (glaucoma, blindness), thus adding to a big proportion or the mortality and morbidity."
The blood pressure can easily be managed by adopting preventive measure, adjusting to the simple life style, reducing salt intake and moderate physical activity, they added. Pakistan Medical Society Chairman, Dr Masood Akhtar Sheikh, said on the occasion that every one above the age of 40 must get there blood pressure checked at least once after every six months.
The people should be educated to overcome the disease once it is without symptoms, as the symptoms come very late. He said, "Hypertension is the medical term for high blood pressure, and is often referred to as the 'silent killer' because there are rarely visible symptoms warning you that your blood pressure is high. In more advanced cases, headaches, visual disturbances, nosebleeds, nausea and vomiting, sleepiness and even seizures may be experienced. Blood pressure is the pressure of the blood in your arteries that is needed to keep blood flowing through your body."
Dr Masood said that the risk of blood pressure increases with age (it occurs most often in men over the age of 35 years), being overweight (especially around the stomach area) contributes to a 2-6 times higher risk. Reduced physical inactivity, smoking, stress, pregnancy, certain medications like birth control pills, steroids and anti-inflammatory drugs are risk factors of the disease, he said.
Gynecologist Dr Aliya said that blood pressure can be a big threat to the developing fetus, as this can lead to abortion, low birth weight baby, still births if not controlled. She added that during the pregnancy the blood pressure of the women falls routinely so she may have even less pressure than before.
Her BP should be taken on record during each visit as this simple method can be life saving. The increased blood pressure can have delirious effects on the women especially during the first pregnancy, as the women can have the swelling of the body, increased amount of protein in the urine and can have the disease called preeclampsia and even eclampsia, she added.
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