Hypertension or high blood pressure is considerably increasing now. This condition is characterized by abnormal force of blood, flows through the arteries. According to medical science, a person with a blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg is having hypertension. Sometimes a high blood pressure reading may not be a sign of high blood pressure.
There are many reasons that may lead to this condition. Aging is a factor that leads to hypertension, but it doesn’t mean that young people will not get affected by hypertension. Many recent researches show that there are many children and teenagers who are suffering from hypertension. Poor lifestyle choices are one of the common reasons that lead young people to such conditions. Obesity also plays a major role in developing hypertension.
Lack of physical exercises and too much intake of salt (sodium) and processed food, alcohol consumption, use of tobacco will increase the chances of getting hypertension. Stress is another main factor that leads to hypertension. Doing stress relief exercises and meditation may help to manage stress. People with a family history of hypertension have high chances of getting the condition, which may last throughout the lifetime. High blood pressure can also be an indication for certain medical conditions such as kidney diseases or overactive thyroid glands. Early detection and medication can help to manage the condition. If left untreated, it will lead to the weakening of the heart, narrowing of blood vessels and other such conditions.
Regular health check-ups
Hypertension or high blood pressure has no symptoms and that is why it is called as the silent killer. Regular check-ups are recommended to diagnose the condition and to start the treatment at the earliest.
The Karen Hospital recently carried out a study to assess the prevalence, awareness, management and treatment of hypertension in two main slums of Nairobi. Around 5,194 residents above 18 years of age have participated in the study.
The survey shows that the occurrence of hypertension is 12.3 percent (12.7 percent in women and 12 percent in men). In that 19.5 percentage (30.7 % of women and 10.8 % of men) have been told about their condition by a medical expert. About 47 percentages (44.9% of women and 50.9% of men) are on medication for a long time. Among them, only 21.5 percentage (14.4% of women and 35.7% of men) could manage their blood pressure below 140/90 mmHg. Only 3 percentages of them could control their blood pressure.
The research found out that high blood pressure is common among the slum dwellers. Majority of them started to take medication after diagnosing the condition. This shows that proper awareness may help the people to understand the condition and it definitely make them opt for immediate treatment. Slum areas, especially need such awareness programs which may help them for early detection and prevention of the condition.
Once the condition is diagnosed, the patient is advised to follow a healthy lifestyle. Reduce the intake of salt in food, increase the intake of vegetables and fruits and limit consumption of fatty food. Regular exercise helps to lose weight, through which the body will free from many such health problems.
The Karen Hospital has arranged wellness programs which are helping many people to manage such unhealthy conditions. This program includes medical check-ups which give the patient a snapshot of their health condition and helps them to start an early treatment. The Karen Hospital is also conducting an exclusive hypertension management program, which helps the patients with high blood pressure to manage the condition by proper diet and treatments. Visit any of our branches for any queries and to get benefit of the program.
