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  • THE SILENT KILLER - HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

    Colombo, 15 July 2019

    According to the latest research, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are on a significant rise in Sri Lanka. One such NCD is high blood pressure (also known as hypertension). This disease has been a leading cause of many unfortunate early deaths.

    What is high blood pressure?

    A healthy normal person's blood pressure shoud be 120 over 80 (120/80) millimeters of mercury (mmHg) or a little less. This is the measurement of prevailing pressure in blood vessels. The upper value can reach up to 129 while the lower value can go up to 84, and still be considered normal. If the blood pressure constantly exceeds these normal limits, we consider such a person to have high blood pressure or hypertension.

    What are the symptoms of high blood pressure?

    At the early stage, there are no symptoms that can be discerned. This results in most patients not knowing or being unaware that they are suffering from high blood pressure. Most of the symptoms of high blood pressure are not unique, neither do they seem significant. These symptoms include:

    •  Dizziness, where one feels like everything is spinning around them
    •  Nausea
    •  Headaches, particularly in the morning where there might be severe pains in the back of the head
    •  Difficulty in breathing
    •  Sweating excessivel
    •  Sleeplessness
    •  Slight impairment of sight, where one feels like they are looking through a net
    •  Tiredness
    •  Frequent urination
    Air Pollution

    How can you diagnose high blood pressure?

    What we call blood pressure is the prevailing pressure in blood vessels. To arrive at the blood pressure a doctor will record both the highest pressure level and lowest level. This is normally done by a doctor using a mercury blood pressure metre known as a sphygmomanometer (mercury manometer). It is a simple, painless measurement technique.

    There are several factors that affect your blood pressure measurement. These include:

    • Emotions
    • Stress
    • Alcohol
    • Frequent sickness
    • Time of day
    • Smoking
     

    It is generally recommended to rest at least 15 minutes before you get your blood pressure tested.

    There could be multiple factors that lead to high blood pressure. A truly alarming development of recent times is the increase of little children suffering from high blood pressure. There are two main categories of high blood pressure based on symptoms.

     1. Primary high blood pressure

    In most adults, there is no identifiable cause of high blood pressure.

     2. Secondary high blood pressure

    This type of high blood pressure is caused as a result of other sicknesses. There are various conditions that can lead to secondary high blood pressure such as kidney related diseases as well as diseases related to hormone-producing glands.

    Out of the above, Kidney related diseases due to obesity have been identified as a common cause of high blood pressure in children.

    Risk factors for high blood pressure

    • Gender

    Women who still get their periods have a lower risk of contracting high blood pressure. It is mostly after the age of 50, after menopause that women have a higher chance of developing high blood pressure.

    • Age

    Even though high blood pressure can occur at any age, the risk increases as you grow older.

    • Heredity

    If either parent has high blood pressure, there is a risk that their children will also get it.

    • Being overweight or obese

    Obesity invites high blood pressure. Everyone should strive to maintain a BMI score of 23 or 24. If you exceed the score you are classified as being overweight.

    • Certain medicine

    Medicines that fall under NSAID (non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs) carry a high risk of causing high blood pressure:

    • Smoking and consuming alcohol
    • Lack of potassium in your diet
    • High cholesterol
    • Depression
    • Diabetes
     

    Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to the following complications:

    • The weakening of the heart: As a result of poor blood circulation the heart muscles end up becoming weakened
    • Heart muscle disability: Abnormalities in blood circulation from the coronary artery results in the deactivation of heart muscles
    • An air embolism, which is a bubble of air in the blood vessels
    • Blood vessels become blocked and result in the patient having a stroke
    • Damages to the retina of the eye, known as retinopathy
    • Chronic kidney disease
    • Damage to the pancreas
    • Damage to the brain
    • Damage to the bones
     

    What should those at risk of high blood pressure do?

    There are certain tests available for those who have family members who have suffered from high blood pressure or for those who smoke or consume alcohol, are diabetes patients or are cholesterol patients. These tests are:

    • Urine full report (UFR)
    • Blood urea (BU)
    • Fasting blood sugar (FBS)
    • Haemoglobin (PCV)
    • Serum electrolytes (Na+, K+)
    • Echo test
    • ECG
    • CT scan
    • X-rays
    • Serum cholesterol to check the cholesterol in the blood
     

    Medication

    There are few medicines available to treat high blood pressure. Sometimes treatment is given through one type of medicine or through two or three types. Doctors will prescribe medicine based on your age, blood pressure measurement and any other complications you are currently suffering from. There are certain side effects of using this medication such as:

    • Dizziness
    • Frequent urination
    • Diabetes
    • Vomiting
    • Weakness
    • Cramps
    • Increased heartbeat
    • Infertility
    • Kidney diseases
    • Allergies
     

    How to prevent high blood pressure?

    • Consume a balanced diet
    • Avoid being overweight or obese
    • Minimise salt intake
    • Minimise caffeine intake
    • Avoid consuming alcohol and smoking
    • Exercise
    • Practice mental wellness to prevent stress
     

    Dr. Nandana Dikmadugoa

    General physician

    Specialist

    Castle Street Hospital for Women

    +94 11 2310310

    AIA Tower, 92, Dharmapala Mawatha
    Colombo 07
    Sri Lanka.

    Fax : (+94) 11 4715892

    Email : lk.info@aia.com

     

    Contact AIA

    +94 11 2310310
     

    AIA Tower, 92, Dharmapala Mawatha
    Colombo 07
    Sri Lanka.

    Fax : (+94) 11 4715892

    Email : lk.info@aia.com

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