Walk an hour a day, keep hypertension away

[cezene]

KATHMANDU, May 16: Hypertension has crept in as silent killer in Nepal claiming one person out of every ten due to changing lifestyle, passive physical activities, increased salt in-take, smoking and drinking.

Twenty-six per cent people in Kathmandu Valley are affected by hypertension, an increase by 150 per cent over the last 25 years, a recent study conducted by Mrigendra Samjhana Mecial Trust found.
The hypertension attacks silently without showing too many symptoms. Even people in their early 20s are found to suffering from hypertension. The report suggested regular health check-up even after 20 years of age. The other suggestions given in the report are to avoid too much salt, especially junk foods that contain sodium, fatty and oily things. People over 35 should check-up their health and go for medication if needed to control hypertension. Heart, brain, kidney, eyes and other vital organs form the risk factor of hypertension

Seeing the growing risk of the disease, the Trust has started to mark the World Hypertension Day in Nepal. Even globally, it was only three years ago since the World Hypertension Day is being marked on May 17. This year's slogan for the Day is: "Healthy Diet, Healthy Blood Pressure."

President of Mrigendra Samjhana Medical Trust Dr. Mrigendra Raj Pandey said the study conducted in Bhadrabash and Aalapur of Kathmandu Valley showed people were affected at least 20 times more than the previous study mainly due to use of excessive salt and obesity. Genetic is another cause of the problem patients suffering genetically should take medicines. This year's focus is on healthy diet such as vegetable, fruits, seeds and legumes and lean meat. He said many people do not even realise that they have high blood pressure and that is dangerous.

He said the price of medicine for hypertension in Nepal is very expensive beyond the reach of common people. Doctors too give expensive medicines even when there are cheaper and equally effective medicines are available, he added.

Dr. Pandey said the government should control the price of medicines so that even poor people can afford them and should spread awareness at the local level about the less salt intake.

Salt control and at least one-hour walk a day is the cheapest and the most effective way of controlling hypertension, he said.

Dr. Rishi Kumar Kafle of National Kidney Centre said patients of kidney failure due to high blood pressure have been increasing. He said the increase might be because many people now come for health check-up and the availability of check-up facility. Blood pressure is one of the contributing factors to kidney ailment.

Dr. Kafle said most patients come to the hospital when it is already too late and leaving no option than to undergo dialysis, which is very expensive. There are also many, who need kidney transplant and it is not yet possible in the country. "So, we refer them to any country they want to go," he said.

If the blood pressure has seen in the young population, they should to think that they have some stage symptoms of kidney disease. He said that eight to ten per cent of the people having blood pressure were suffered from kidney damage.

A recent study done by the Mrigendra Samjhana Trust found that only 15 to 20 per cent people are aware about the risks of high blood pressure in the Kathmandu Valley. The situation is vague in the remote parts of the country, Dr. Pandey said. There are only five to ten per cent people taking regular medicines and control their pressure. He also said that the doctors should also prescribed low-price medicines to the patients.

He also suggested for balanced diet and controlling weight. Regular exercise and avoiding smoking and alcohol as well as controlling tension were other ways of reducing hypertension.

Globally, 33 per cent untimely deaths and more than 40 per cent heart attacks were due to high blood pressure. Globally, there are 60 million people suffer from high blood pressure and 150 million people in the world are affected by hypertension.

[Anup'da]

rule of halves applies for world hypertesion... but in nepal the rule should be modified as RULE OF ONE TENTH,,, only one tenth of affected are receiving the correct and adequate treatment, even inside the valley.....................

i have normal blood pressure...... wat about you? especially we medical students inadvertently neglect the mere essentiality of checking up our own pressure....... so get ur b.p. measurement right now and right away,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, .hypertension is bad disease to have......... but fortunately curable and preventable...................


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