Hypertension, known as high blood pressure, is one of the health problems that can progress insidiously and cause very serious and fatal consequences. Not ignoring this disease and changing life habits can change the course of the disease. Cardiologist Assoc. Dr. Selim Topcu said, “3 out of 10 people in the world have hypertension and 50 percent of these patients are not aware of the disease because they do not show any symptoms. Unfortunately, many people learn that they have hypertension after having a heart attack or stroke. Hypertension is one of the leading causes of preventable death. Despite this, about 10 million people in the world die every year due to hypertension. “This means more than 25,000 deaths a day,” he said.
CAUSES MANY HEALTH PROBLEMS
Stating that it is predicted that by 2025, 1.5 billion people in the world will have hypertension, Cardiology Specialist Assoc. Dr. Selim Topcu said that hypertension is a chronic disease that can cause serious health problems due to high blood pressure. Topcu said, “It can lead to many health problems such as hypertension, heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, eye damage, vascular damage. Therefore, it is important to treat and control hypertension.
CAN BE KEPT UNDER CONTROL THROUGH A LIFESTYLE CHANGE
Stating that some lifestyle changes should be made to reduce the risk of hypertension, Topcu made the following suggestions for protection:
“Eat healthy: A healthy and balanced diet should be adopted, containing sufficient amounts of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grain foods, low-fat foods, fish, unsaturated fatty acids (such as olive oil), low red meat and saturated fatty acids. In addition, foods with high sugar content, processed foods and fast foods should be strictly avoided.
Limit salt consumption: Salt consumption should be limited as much as possible. While the daily salt consumption of a healthy person should be around 5-6 grams; It should be limited to 2-3 grams in patients with hypertension. However, according to the research of the Turkish Hypertension and Kidney Diseases Association, the average daily salt consumption per person in our country is approximately 18 grams. Unfortunately, in our country, we consume 3 times the amount of salt that should be consumed.
Increase physical activity: Exercising regularly can be beneficial both in the prevention and treatment of hypertension. Try to do 30 minutes of walking, jogging, cycling, yoga, swimming, or strength training 2-3 days a week, 5-7 days a week.
Keep your body weight under control: Excess weight increases the risk of hypertension. Therefore, if you are overweight, try to lose weight, and if you are at the ideal weight, try to maintain it.
Stop alcohol consumption: Alcohol consumption causes blood pressure to rise.
Manage stress: Stress can raise blood pressure. Therefore, regulation of behavior is important. Meditation, yoga, or other relaxation techniques can be tried to manage stress.
Do not smoke: Smoking raises blood pressure and increases the risk of heart disease. Quitting smoking is one of the most effective measures to reduce the risk of heart disease.”
DON’T STOP FOLLOWING REGULARLY
Emphasizing that lifestyle changes can help reduce the risk of hypertension and should be implemented, Cardiology Specialist Assoc. Dr. Selim Topcu said, “If the blood pressure target cannot be reached despite lifestyle changes, or if there is other concomitant cardiovascular disease (such as diabetes, coronary artery disease), drug treatment should not be delayed. That’s why regular doctor follow-up is important.
(DHA)