Guwahati: World Hypertension Day 2019 is observed on May 17. The goal of Hypertension Day is to raise awareness about high blood pressure, which can have fatal effects if not treated effectively. For starters, hypertension is another word for high blood pressure, which is defined as consistently raised blood pressure in the arteries.
According to specialists, high blood pressure is the silent killer. The majority of the time, there are no visible indicators of hypertension, and even if you do detect certain symptoms, you may dismiss them as normal exhaustion, work pressure, or exercise.
People frequently neglect blood pressure difficulties, which can be fatal and, in the worst-case scenario, result in a heart attack, heart failure, aneurysm, stroke, memory loss, or dementia. Experts say that constantly monitoring blood pressure is the key to avoiding major illnesses.
According to a doctor in Guwahati, 62 percent of individuals in Assam, which has the highest rate of hypertension in the country, die every year from it.
“The fatality rate in Assam is high because people are unaware of how to prevent hypertension.” People in rural areas used to eat raw salt instead of sugar, and they did the same with tea. Another cause of mortality is that individuals used to drink local wine laced with herbs, which causes blood pressure to rise, according to the doctor.
The doctor said that the hypertension is caused by a variety of factors including smoking, diabetes, stress, ageing, obesity or overweight, a lack of physical activity, a high sodium consumption, genetics, and adrenal and thyroid problems.
“High blood pressure can be avoided, but people must be cautious about their diets and medications. To treat hypertension, medications should be used until death. Every year, 9.4 million people die and 1.5 million people are affected by the disease,” he continued.
Only one out of every five persons has it under control, while others are at danger of developing complications. Hypertension is on the rise all around the world, and while it was previously only observed in older age groups, we are now seeing a lot of new cases of hypertension among young individuals.
Here are some warning symptoms of high blood pressure you should never ignore as per Dr Narayan Gadkar, Cardiologist, Zen Multispeciality Hospital.
- Nose bleeds: Nose bleeds not only occur due to sinusitis or blowing the nose constantly but even when one’s blood pressure is high. If you are one of them who has encountered nose bleeding then just report it to the doctor.
- Headaches: If you have a throbbing headache all the time then your blood pressure may be high. A majority of people who blood pressure may have a headache. These unpleasant headaches will steal your peace of mind. So, be vigilant and seek timely treatment.
“Patients experiencing severe headache, especially in the occipital area (posterior part of skull) are the ones who should immediately get their BP checked,” says Dr Honey Savla, Consultant Internal Medicines, Wockhardt Hospital.
- Fatigue: Are you unable to do your office work or household chores with ease then this can be due to high blood pressure. Feeling exhausted even after doing nothing? Try to reach your treating doctor for further evaluation.
- Shortness of breath: One may also have difficulty breathing when his/her blood pressure is high. This is one of the common symptoms of hypertension.
- Blurred vision: Untreated hypertension can alter one’s vision. Thus, one will encounter vision problems. His or her vision will be blurred.
“One more sign of hypertension is blurring of vision or developing black spots in your visual field or sudden complete loss of vision are the symptoms which should be taken seriously,” says Dr Savla.
- Chest pain: It is seen when one’s blood pressure is high. Try to take immediate treatment after you notice these symptoms. Ignoring these symptoms can lead to serious complications in later life.