Dr. AH Wahid, Consultant Internal Medicine Physician, Brains Super Specialty Hospital

Hypertension or in other words ‘High Blood pressure’ is a chronic medical condition in which one’s blood pressure increases to high levels that causes various damages to the vital organs. So basically the force of blood against the wall of arteries is consistently high. And when this is kept unchecked for a long period of time, it produces devastating results including:

• .Heart attack
• .Stroke
• .Bleeding within the brain
• .Kidney failure
• .Visual loss (Retinopathy)

Think of our blood vessels as tiny pipes that carry blood to various organs such as heart, brain, kidney etc, and when the blood pushes too hard against the walls of these pipes then it causes problems.

It is rightly said that Hypertension is a ‘silent killer’ because one may not experience any particular symptom at all and may still end up with serious conditions mentioned above. Hence it is necessary to check your blood pressure regularly especially if you are nearing middle age with risk factors such as

• .Smoking
• .Physical inactivity
• .Being overweight/obese
• .Unhealthy food habits
• .Family history of high BP
• .Excessive alcohol consumption
• .Stressful lifestyle

Hypertension is often categorized into:

1. Primary/Essential hypertension - which is the cause of high BP in about 95% of all patients which has no underlying identifiable cause. Poor lifestyle, genetic factors and aging contribute to its development

2. Secondary Hypertension - this is seen in only about 5% of all high BP patients and will have some underlying cause such as Kidney problems, hormonal issues, medication side effect. This type of hypertension can be reversed once the underlying issue is corrected.

What to be done when your BP is consistently above 130/90 mmHg?

1. Eat Healthier:

Make a point of consuming more healthy grains, fruits, and vegetables. Reduce oily food and salt consumption (less than 1 tease spoon of salt per day is recommended)

2. Engage in Regular Exercise:

Cardiovascular exercises such as cycling or walking can help reduce blood pressure. 150 minutes of aerobic exercises per week is recommended.

3. Handle Stress:

Try deep breathing exercises, meditation, or engaging in enjoyable hobbies as relaxation methods.

4. Limit Alcohol and stop smoking:

Excessive alcohol use and cigarette smoking might cause blood pressure to rise.

5. Take Medication:

Your doctor may recommend medication to assist manage your blood pressure.

So the take home message is “Tension or Hypertension - Get it controlled!”