Hypertension is a "silent killer" that may lead to vascular and kidney diseases, stroke, eye ailments and heart attack, the head of cardiology at RIMS has said.
Dr Hemant Narayan, associate professor and head of the cardiology department of Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, who studied his patients and noted their various ailments for a year, said he found that 30 to 40 per cent stroke, retinopathy and nephropathy cases and around 20 per cent of heart attack cases were triggered by hypertension.
On the occasion of World Hypertension Day on Tuesday, Dr Narayan spoke on the condition, characterised by persistent high blood pressure (BP) readings and suggested several preventives and lifestyle changes on RIMS premises:
? There is a perception that senior people suffer from hypertension. It's a myth. People who follow a sedentary lifestyle fall prey to hypertension. So the key to good health free from hypertension is exercise, intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, no addictions, no preserved food and maintaining ideal weight.
? People below 50 without any heart ailments should walk every day. Walking, cycling and swimming are three best exercises that keeps hypertension away. (Those with cardiac problems must consult a physician before taking up any exercise). Young people, below the age of 40 must walk for an hour everyday. People with sedentary lifestyles, who do not follow exercise regimes, should start immediately. They should start gradually.
? Smoking is the single biggest cause of heart attacks. Last year, a Ranchi boy 18 not had a severe heart attack but was later paralysed. He confessed that he started smoking when he was 17 and became a chain-smoker within a year. Most of my young patients with cardiac ailments are smokers. For smokers with high BP, quit now.
? Moderate intake of liquor (30ml per day) lowers the risk of atherosclerosis (hardening or narrowing of arteries). But a non-alcoholic should never start consuming liquor to gain this benefit. Fresh grape extract gives the same benefits.
