Now, High blood pressure affects even 25-year-olds in Mumbai

Mumbai, May 2017:

Every year, May 17 is dedicated to World Hypertension Day (WHD), and health experts are hoping to increase awareness about this condition, which until recently, affected only older adults. However, studies say that the trend has changed drastically in the last couple of years.

What is hypertension?

Hypertension is a condition in which blood pressure recordings remains persistently above 140/90 mm Hg. It is often believed that youngsters are not affected by this.

Senior cardiologist Dr Santosh Kumar Dora says, "Contrary to these assumptions, studies show an alarming rise in the incidence of hypertension among the young. Globally, the prevalence of hypertension in youngsters is almost 10 per cent and this has doubled in just a decade. A 2015 Indian study shows that seven per cent of students aged 18 to 25 have this condition. Almost 35 per cent of students who were obese had hypertension, compared to only seven per cent students whose weight was in the normal range. The prevalence of prehypertension (systolic BP 130 to 139 and diastolic BP 80 to 89 mm Hg) is 45 per cent. This is alarming and of great concern as high blood pressure means higher risk of damage to the heart, kidney, brain and eyes in the coming years."

Your lifestyle could be the culprit

Experts agree that lifestyle factors could lead to hypertension in youngsters. Dr Santosh adds, "Following an unhealthy and high calorie diet, containing excess fat, sugar, salt, and lack of exercise leads to obesity, which is a strong risk factor for hypertension. No matter how young you are, if you are obese, do check your blood pressure regularly. Other contributing factors include smoking and excess alcohol intake. Apart from the lifestyle-related factors, hypertension can occur due to definitive causes like kidney disease, hormonal problems, constriction of major blood vessels etc. However, these secondary causes are present only in a minority and constitute only 10 per cent of the hypertension population."

Senior interventional cardiologist Dr Tilak Suvarna says that the risk factors mentioned above have all shown an exponential increase in the last couple of decades, thus explaining the increase in cases of people having hypertension. "Unfortunately, all the above mentioned factors are rampant in the younger generation, thus explaining the increasing prevalence in youngsters," he explains.

How to keep high blood pressure at bay

It is important to indulge in regular physical activity, lose weight, eat a low salt diet, increase intake of fruits and vegetables, identify ways to manage stress better, reduce alcohol consumption and quit smoking. "Treatment of hypertension starts with lifestyle changes or non-pharmacological therapy — dietary changes, increased physical activity and weight reduction. This is followed by drug therapy if it remains uncontrolled. There are different classes of anti-hypertensive drugs available, each of which works differently. In rare instances, identifying and treating the cause (hormonal imbalances, kidney diseases or kidney artery narrowing, tumours, drugs) can cure hypertension," signs off Dr Suvarna.

"Obesity is a known risk factor for high blood pressure as it leads to hardening of blood vessels. Children as young as 13 and 15 are have also been diagnosed with blood pressure because they are overweight. Obesity must be taken seriously to avoid long term complications of hypertension." — Senior bariatric surgeon Dr Ramen Goel.