The sample size for the study was 21,623 people who underwent preventive health check-up during January – December 2016
On the occasion of World Hypertension Day on May 17, 2017, a study by Indus Health Plus revealed that 27 per cent males and 24 per cent females from 25-35 years age group have reported of pre-hypertension. If left untreated, it would develop into hypertension eventually, leading to stroke or cardio-vascular diseases (CVDs). The sample size for the study was 21,623 people who underwent preventive health check-up during January – December 2016.
The report states that incidences of hypertension is increasing consistently in Mumbai area, with 35 per cent to 40 per cent urban people and 18 per cent to 20 per cent rural people suffering from it.
Amol Naikawadi, Preventive Healthcare Specialist, Indus Health Plus says, “90 per cent of the population are unaware about the silent symptoms of hypertension. Mumbaikars are not meeting healthy lifestyle recommendations that are important in preventing hypertension and its complications. While those from urban areas blamed work pressure and job insecurity for rising levels of stress and eventually hypertension, people from semi-rural and rural area blamed the increasing cost and increased in-house expenditure. If not treated on time, hypertension can lead to heart problems, renal and multiple organ failure. A timely and routine check-up can reduce the risk of hypertension.”
00seshunarayanahttps://imedworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/MedWorks-Logo-02-300x300.pngseshunarayana2020-08-11 16:56:012020-08-11 16:56:01Hypertension may lead to stroke or cardio-vascular diseases: Indus Health Plus report
Irregular sleep time has long been linked to a host of health ailments. Sleep plays a pivotal role in regulating some of the most vital processes in our body. Experts suggest that not sleeping for at least 7-8 hours every day may have severe health repercussions. Also, sleeping late at night – even though you may end up meeting the 8-hour sleep mark – is also linked with health issues.
Some of the previously conducted studies note that loss of sleep incurred during the week cannot be compensated by sleeping for longer time over the weekend. A latest study conducted by American experts explains that sleeping for long hours over the weekend may actually be adverse for the health and trigger heart issues and weight gain.Experts called this phenomenon ‘social jet lag’ described as a situation when one goes to bed and wakes up much later on weekends than during the week. This ‘social jet lag’ is associated with an 11 per cent increase in the likelihood of heart disease. The study was published in the journal Sleep and assessed sleep pattern and associated effects on health in close to 984 adults ageing 22 to 60 years.
“Results indicated that sleep regularity, beyond sleep duration alone, plays a significant role in our health. Regular sleep schedule may be an effective, relatively simple, and inexpensive preventative treatment for heart disease as well as many other health problems,” lead author Sierra B. Forbush, from the University of Arizona in the US.
Sleep deprivation may affect the brain activity, trigger memory problems, induce moodiness, anxiety and depression; it may also lead to lack of concentration, lethargy. Prolonged sleep deprivation is also tied to risk of heart disease, diabetes, weakened immune system, hypertension among others.
00seshunarayanahttps://imedworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/MedWorks-Logo-02-300x300.pngseshunarayana2020-08-11 12:31:122020-08-11 12:31:12Sleeping More On Weekends May Lead to Obesity, Diabetes and Hypertension
Hypertensive patients can now receive intensive treatments faster. In a recent study, researchers have devised a machine learning algorithm which combines three variables routinely collected during clinic visits and demonstrates how the emerging field of bioinformatics could transform patient care.
It takes a patient’s age, urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR), and cardiovascular disease history to successfully identify hypertensive patients for whom the benefits of intensive therapy outweigh the risks. “Large randomized trials have provided inconsistent evidence regarding the benefit of intensive blood pressure lowering in hypertensive patients,” said a researcher, Yang Xie.
“To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to identify a subgroup of patients who derive a higher net benefit from intensive blood pressure treatment,” he added. Researchers used patient data under controlled trials that tested intensive vs. standard blood pressure-lowering treatments — the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) and the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) trial.
The SPRINT trial included 9,361 non-diabetic hypertensive adults at an elevated risk of a cardiovascular event, while ACCORD enrolled 10,251 patients with Type 2 diabetes. “I think our algorithm can help us identify high-risk patients who will most likely benefit from intensive blood pressure reduction. Long-term intensive HBP drug therapy can reduce the risk of heart failure and death, but it carries an increased risk of side effects,” said another researcher, Wanpen Vongpatanasin.
The researchers’ machine learning method determined three simple criteria to identify adults with high blood pressure who are at the highest risk for early major adverse cardiovascular events — such as cardiovascular death, heart attack, or stroke.
00seshunarayanahttps://imedworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/MedWorks-Logo-02-300x300.pngseshunarayana2020-07-27 11:28:542020-07-27 11:28:54Patients with hypertension can now use this new stress free algorithm for treatment
Hypertension is another name for high blood pressure. It can lead to severe complications and increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and death. Blood Pressure is the force exerted by the blood against the walls of the blood vessels. The pressure depends on the work being done by the heart and the resistance of the blood vessels.
Medical guidelines define hypertension as a blood pressure higher than 130 over 80 millimeters of mercury (mmHg), according to guidelines issued by the American Heart Association (AHA) in November 2017.
Around 85 million people in the United States have High Blood Pressure.
Hypertension and Heart Deseases are global health concerns. The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that the growth of the processed food industry has impacted the amount of salt in diets worldwide, and that this plays a role in hypertension.
Fast facts on hypertension:
Here are some key points about hypertension. More detail is in the main article.
Normal blood pressure is 120 over 80 mm of mercury (mmHg), but hypertension is higher than 130 over 80 mmHg.
Acute causes of high blood pressure include stress, but it can happen on its own, or it can result from an underlying condition, such as kidney disease.
Unmanaged hypertension can lead to a heart attack, stroke and other problems.
Lifestyle factors are the best way to address high blood pressure.
Stress reduction
Avoiding stress, or developing strategies for managing unavoidable stress, can help with blood pressure control. Using alcohol, drugs, smoking, and unhealthy eating to cope with stress will add to hypertensive problems. These should be avoided. Smoking can raise blood pressure. Giving up smoking reduces the risk of hypertension, heart conditions, and other health issues.
Medications
People with blood pressure higher than 130 over 80 may use medication to treat hypertension. Drugs are usually started one at a time at a low dose. Side effects associated with antihypertensive drugs are usually minor. Eventually, a combination of at least two antihypertensive drugs is usually required.
A range of drug types are available to help lower blood pressure, including:
diuretics, including thiazides, chlorthalidone, and indapamide
brta-blockers and alpha-blockers
calcium-channel blockers
central agonists
peripheral adrenergic inhibitor
vasodilators
angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
angiotensin receptor blockers
The choice of drug depends on the individual and any other conditions they may have. Anyone taking antihypertensive medications should be sure to carefully read labels, especially before taking any over-the-counter (OTC) medications, such as decongestants. These may interact with medications used to lower blood pressure.
Causes
The cause of hypertension is often not known. Around 1 in every 20 cases of hypertension is the effect of an underlying condition or medication. Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a common cause of high blood pressure because the kidneys do not filter out fluid. This fluid excess leads to hypertension.
Risk factors
A number of risk factors increase the chances of having hypertension.
Age: Hypertension is more common in people aged over 60 years. With age, blood pressure can increase steadily as the arteries become stiffer and narrower due to plaque build-up.
Ethnicity: Some ethnic groups are more prone to hypertension.
Size and weight: Being overweight or obese is a key risk factor.
Alcohol and tobacco use: Consuming large amounts of alcohol regularly can increase a person’s blood pressure, as can smoking tobacco.
Sex: The lifetime risk is the same for males and females, but men are more prone to hypertension at a younger age. The prevalence tends to be higher in older women.
Existing health conditions: Cardiovascular disease, Diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and high cholesterol levels can lead to hypertension, especially as people get older.
Other contributing factors include:
physical inactivity
a salt-rich diet associated with processed and fatty foods
low potassium in the diet
Alcohol and tobacco usecertain diseases and medications
A family history of high blood pressure and poorly managed stress can also contribute.
Signs
Blood pressure can be measured by a sphygmomanometer, or blood pressure monitor. Having high blood pressure for a short time can be a normal response to many situations. Acute stress and intense exercise, for example, can briefly elevate blood pressure in a healthy person. For this reason, a diagnosis of hypertension normally requires several readings that show high blood pressure over time.
The systolic reading of 130 mmHg refers to the pressure as the heart pumps blood around the body. The diastolic reading of 80 mmHg refers to the pressure as the heart relaxes and refills with blood.
Symptoms
A person with hypertension may not notice any symptoms, and it is often called the “silent killer.” While undetected, it can casue damage to the cardiovascular system and internal organs, such as the kidneys.
Regularly checking your blood pressure is vital, as there will usually be no symptoms to make you aware of the condition.
It is maintained that high blood pressure causes sweating, anxiety, sleeping problems, and blushing. However, in most cases, there will be no symptoms at all.
If blood pressure reaches the level of a hypertensive crisis, a person may experience headache and nosebleeds.
Complications
Long-term hypertension can cause complications through atherosclerosis, where the formation of plaque results in the narrowing of blood vessels. This makes hypertension worse, as the heart must pump harder to deliver blood to the body.
Hypertension-related atherosclerosis can lead to:
Heart failure and heart attacks
an aneurysm or an abnormal bulge in the wall of an artery that can burst, causing severe bleeding and, in some cases, death
kidney failure
stroke
amputation
hypertensive retinopathies in the eye, which can lead to blindness
Regular blood pressure testing can help people avoid the more severe complications.
Diet
Some types of hypertension can be managed through lifestyle and dietary choices, such as engaging in physical activity, reducing alcohol and tobacco use, and avoiding a high-sodium diet.
Reducing the amount of salt
Average salt intake is between 9 grams (g) and 12 g per day in most countries around the world.
Reducing the amount of salt : Average salt intake is between 9 grams (g) and 12 g per day in most countries around the world. The WHO recommends reducing intake to less than 5gm a day, to help decrease the risk of hypertension and related health problems.
Moderating alcohol consumption
Moderate to excessive alcohol consumption is linked to raised blood pressure and an increased risk of stroke.The American Heart Association (AHA) recommend a maximum of two drinks a day for men, and one for women.
The following would count as one drink:
12 ounce (oz.) bottle of beer
4 oz. of wine
5 oz. of 80-proof spirits
1 oz. of 100-proof spirits
A healthcare provider can help people who find it difficult to cut back.
Eating more fruit and vegetables and less fat
People who have or who are at risk of high blood pressure are advised to eat as little saturated and total fat as possible.
Recommended instead are:
whole-grain, high-fiber foods
a variety of fruit and vegetables
beans, pulses, and nuts
omega-3-rich fish twice a week
non-tropical vegetable oils, for example, olive oil
skinless poultry and fish
low-fat dairy products
It is important to avoid trans-fats, hydrogenated vegetable oils, and animal fats, and to eat portions of moderate size.
Managing body weight
Hypertension is closely related to excess body weight, and weight reduction is normally followed by a fall in blood pressure. A healthy, balanced diet with a calorie intake that matches the individual’s size, sex, and activity level will help.
The DASH diet
The U.S. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) recommends the DASH diet for people with high blood pressure. DASH, or “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension,” has been specially designed to help people lower their blood pressure.
It is a flexible and balanced eating plan based on research studies sponsored by the Institute, which says that the diet:
lowers high blood pressure
improves levels of fats in the bloodstream
reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease
00seshunarayanahttps://imedworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/MedWorks-Logo-02-300x300.pngseshunarayana2020-07-25 12:58:342020-07-25 12:58:34Everything you need to know about hypertension
