Hypertension or high blood pressure is a serious medical condition that can silently cause damage to your body for years if it remains undetected. In this disorder, the inner lining of the arteries gets impaired which limits the flow of blood and oxygen throughout the body. According to World Health Organisation, this condition can result in chest pain, kidney damage, congestive heart failure and even increase the risk of stroke.
According to the USA’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hypertension usually has no warning signs or symptoms, and many people do not realise they have it until the condition becomes very severe. When it becomes critical, symptoms like headache, nosebleed, fatigue and difficulty in breathing begin to surface.
As per a study by the National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) in the USA, one-third of urban Indian adults and close to one-fourth of rural Indian adults are hypertensive. Experts at the Family Planning Association of India (FPAI) have expressed concerns over the increasing incidence of this disorder.
With the onset of the pandemic, researchers at National Center for Biotechnology Information of U.S. studied the patients hospitalised for COVID-19. The analysis reported that high blood pressure is a common pre-existing condition among those hospitalised in the USA. The observations concluded that COVID-19 patients with underlying hypertension have a poorer prognosis than those without hypertension.
Preventive health check-ups and monitoring blood pressure levels should be encouraged amongst working adults in the age group of 30-50 years. Certain dietary patterns must also be followed if you are diagnosed with hypertension.
- Citrus fruits like grapefruit, oranges, and lemons are loaded with vitamins and plant compounds that reduce heart disease risk factors like high blood pressure.
- Carrots and broccoli are also recommended as they contain no saturated fat.
- Dairy intake must be reduced by switching to skim milk instead of whole milk.
- Avoid salt intake to avoid sodium consumption.
- Reduce the consumption of fatty red meats.
- Pickles must also be avoided.
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