We celebrate world hypertension day on the 17th of May every year. For this year, the theme is- Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, Live Longer.
The significance of this day is enormous as around 26% of the world’s population (972 million people) has hypertension and this number is expected to grow up to 29% by 2025.
In India as well, this problem is prevalent on a large scale. According to the World Health Organisation, “nearly 63% of total deaths in India are due to non-communicable diseases, of which 27% are attributed to cardiovascular disease which affects 45% of people in the 40-69 age group.” High blood pressure is one of the most important risk factors for Cardiovascular Diseases.
This is why this day is dedicated to spreading awareness about Hypertension since it does not show any major and distinct symptoms and can go unnoticed for a long time until it turns into other life-threatening illnesses.
History of World Hypertension Day
It first started in May of 2005 and has been an international event ever since. The main idea behind this was to raise awareness about Hypertension ‘the silent killer’ and encourage all the citizens to help control and combat this issue.
What Is Hypertension?
According to the ‘WHO’, blood pressure is the force exerted by circulating blood against the walls of the body’s arteries, the major blood vessels in the body. Hypertension is when blood pressure is too high.
Blood pressure is expressed in two numbers, first one (systolic) represents the pressure in blood vessels when the heart contracts or beats. The second one (diastolic) is the pressure that the blood vessels experience when the heart rests between beats.
Signs that you might have hypertension
- Nose bleeds- Nose bleeds mostly occur due to sinusitis, aggressive and constant blowing of the nose, and hypertension.
- Headaches- If one experiences‘ throbbing headaches’, chances are high that they are suffering from hypertension.
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath- People with hypertension often experience shortness of breath.
- Vision problems- if hypertension is uncontrolled, it can lead to certain vision problems like blurry vision.
- Chest pain- Another symptom of hypertension that should not be ignored.
Lifestyle changes to prevent Hypertension-
CDC (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention) suggests some methods and lifestyle changes that can prevent hypertension, such as-
- Eat a well-balanced diet- Make sure that you follow a healthy diet plan that is rich in protein, fiber, and vitamins but low in sodium.
- Maintain a healthy weight- Obesity and being overweight can increase. Doctors use The Body Mass Index to identify if a person’s weight is in the healthy range.
- Be Physically Active- This goes without saying that people should be physically active to keep a healthy weight and stay fit overall. It reduces the risk of hypertension by keeping blood pressure low.
- Stop Smoking- Smoking can increase the risk of hypertension and keeps blood pressure high.
- Limit your alcohol intake- it also increases one’s blood pressure. According to the CDC, Men should have no more than 2 alcoholic drinks per day, and women should have no more than 1 alcoholic drink per day.
- Get enough sleep- Sleep well to ensure overall well-being.
