One in every 3 adults in Kolkata suffers from high blood pressure or hypertension. May 17 was World Hypertension Day. On that day, doctors warned that high blood pressure is a ‘silent killer’. It increases silently and most of the time has no specific symptoms. But the concerning issue is that hypertension is being widely seen among people aged 30-40 years. A large portion of them are also falling victim to various heart diseases, including heart attacks.
What causes hypertension among younger people?
In an interview with Times of India, Anjan Siotia, head of the cardiology department at B M Birla Heart Hospital, said that the number of patients suffering from high blood pressure has increased drastically over the past decade.
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Dr. Anjan says, ‘Lack of physical exercise or body movement, obesity, irregular sleep, unhealthy eating habits, mental stress, and metabolic disorders are increasing hypertension problems among younger people. Due to multiple misconceptions about high blood pressure, people are not starting treatment at the right time.’
Which misconceptions are destroying people?
Actually, many people think that when blood pressure rises, they will experience dizziness, headaches, or restlessness. But in reality, nothing like this happens. Rather, this disease sits in the body for years and destroys from within.
Another major misconception is that only obese people suffer from high blood pressure. But if someone has mental stress, family history, sleep problems, unhealthy habits like smoking and drinking, anyone can suffer from this disease. Therefore, any fit-looking young person can also fall victim to high blood pressure.
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What could be the reason behind sudden heart attacks?
High blood pressure nests in the body for years without any symptoms. And it silently damages the heart, kidneys, and brain. In the same interview, Tapobrata De, head of the cardiology department at Charnock Hospital, says, ‘Among the young patients we have nowadays, the main cause of hypertension is excessive mental stress. Due to this, sudden heart attacks, brain strokes, and various kidney-related diseases are appearing.’
How to avoid this problem?
Diagnosing the disease at the right time is the real way to control hypertension. One must stay physically active. Mental stress must be controlled. And the amount of salt in food must be reduced. If the disease is detected, regular medication must be taken according to the doctor’s advice. These small changes will keep the heart protected.
