At present, 1 in every 4 people in Hong Kong has high blood pressure and it is more common in men than women. High blood pressure happens when the blood vessel walls are under prolonged stress and blood pressure readings are persistently above normal levels. A healthy systolic pressure should be less than 120 mm/Hg (when the left ventricular contracts), the diastolic pressure should be less than 80 mm/Hg (when the heart expands). According to World Health Organization1, high blood pressure is defined as blood pressure persistently higher than 140/90 mmHg.
High blood pressure are often referred to as a “silent killer” because a majority of patients with high blood pressure show no noticeable symptoms. But high blood pressure is a key risk factor of heart disease and cerebrovascular disease. High blood pressure can lead to atherosclerosis, aneurysm, heart failure, kidney failure, stroke, retinopathy and other conditions. If a patient with high blood pressure also has coronary heart disease, his/ her risk of getting a heart attack or stroke are several times higher than an average person. This explains why early diagnosis and treatment of high blood pressure is very important.
How to diagnose high blood pressure?
According local and international health organizations, it is recommended that heart disease patients, diabetics and other patients with chronic diseases should keep their blood pressure at below 130/80 mmHg in order to prevent complications.
Causes
Prevention and Treatment
You can control your blood pressure, prevent heart disease and cerebrovascular disease by having a balanced diet, healthy lifestyle and medical treatment.
1. To prevent hypertension, start with establishing a healthy diet and lifestyle:
2. Medications:
If you are prescribed medications for blood pressure control, you should always follow the prescriptions and have regular health checks. Doctor prescribe appropriate medications depending on the patient’s condition. Commonly used blood pressure lowering medications include diuretics, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, alpha blockers and vasodilators.
3. Self-monitoring and regular health screening:
Patients can measure their own blood pressure regularly to monitor their condition. They should also have regular health screening to prevent complications that might be caused by high blood pressure, such as heart disease or cerebrovascular disease. Patients must pay special attention if they have family history.
Pro-Cardio’s dietitian and personal trainer has designed “Lifestyle Modification Program” to help people control risk factors by a healthy diet and lifestyle, which in turn lower risk of developing chronic diseases including heart disease and stroke. To learn more, please go to: Lifestyle Modification Program
If you have any enquiries, please feel free to contact us on 2779 8388 or email us at info@pro-cardio.com. Alternatively, you can also leave our specialist doctors, registered dietitians and fitness trainer questions on our online Interactive Forum.
Reference: 1. Chobanian AV et al. Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection,Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. Hypertension 2003;42(6): 1206-1252. URL: http://hyper.ahajournals.org/cgi/reprint/42/6/1206