On the occasion of World Hypertension Day, city doctors came forward to educate the masses on burgeoning problems of Hypertension. High blood pressure or hypertension is one of the most important causes of premature death worldwide, claiming nearly 9.4 million lives very year.
According to a report published in 2011 by the World Health Organisation (WHO), in India, hypertension affects one in three adults aged 25 and over.
Making the scenario worst, the fact is that in India, only a quarter to a third of patients are aware of their hypertensive status. Further, only one in five patients suffering with hypertension are on treatment and less than 5 per cent are controlled.
Speaking at a free ‘Check BP’ check-up camp organized by Cipla on World Hypertension Day, Dr VK Chhabra said, “Hypertension is a silent killer and remains undiagnosed if not checked routinely.
When a patient is diagnosed of diabetes, 50 per cent of patients already have hypertension and among all those who have diabetes develop high blood pressure also within 15 years. Undiagnosed and uncontrolled hypertension leads to complications like heart attack, stroke, renal failure, and eye damage.”
“Early death or disability due to hypertension can cause loss of income and incur huge medical care expenditures, which can be devastating for the family.
“The only way is to prevent hypertension is to undergo a regular blood pressure check-up and adapt lifestyle modifications like avoiding being overweight by stop consuming junk food and unhealthy eating habits and a big no to smoking. One must apt for regular exercise and eating rightly,” he added.