Limit salt, control weight, and exercise more to avoid the “roller coaster” of blood pressure

October 8, 2023 is the 26th National Hypertension Day. The theme of this year’s National Hypertension Day is “Healthy Life, Ideal Blood Pressure.” According to the “China Cardiovascular Health and Disease Report 2022” released by the National Center for Cardiovascular Disease, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease in China is continuing to rise, and the number of people suffering from hypertension in my country is about 245 million.

On August 8, 2023, staff from the Tianjin Blood Center measured the blood pressure of blood donors at the Health Plaza.Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Ran

Hypertension is a common and frequently-occurring disease worldwide. Cai Jianfang, director of the Department of Nephrology at the National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases and Fuwai Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, said that if not detected in time or treated improperly, high blood pressure can easily lead to complications such as stroke, myocardial infarction, heart failure and chronic kidney disease. Therefore, everyone should know their own blood pressure and learn blood pressure-related knowledge.

The National Health Commission advises that if the blood pressure exceeds 140/90mmHg three times on different days without the use of antihypertensive drugs, hypertension can be diagnosed and lifestyle intervention and drug treatment can be initiated. When blood pressure exceeds 130/80mmHg, attention should be paid.

How to judge whether blood pressure reaches standard? Cai Jianfang reminded that in general, patients with hypertension should have their blood pressure dropped below 140/90mmHg; patients with diabetes, coronary heart disease, heart failure or chronic kidney disease with proteinuria should have their blood pressure controlled below 130/80mmHg; those aged 65 to 79 years old The blood pressure of patients is reduced to below 140/90mmHg. If tolerated, it can be further reduced to below 130/80mmHg; elderly patients aged 80 and above can be controlled to below 140/90mmHg.

In addition to basic knowledge related to blood pressure, the public should also learn to identify some misunderstandings.

Some members of the public believe that “if they have high blood pressure but don’t feel any discomfort, it’s not a serious problem.”

“The blood pressure of most patients with high blood pressure gradually increases, so the feeling is not obvious, but even so, high blood pressure is still damaging your blood vessels, heart, kidneys and other organs.” Cai Jianfang said that if it is not treated, high blood pressure will Blood pressure can lead to stroke, myocardial infarction, kidney failure, aortic dissection and other health problems.

Some people think that “young people will not get high blood pressure”, and the answer is no.

“Hypertension is not ‘exclusive for the elderly’. Hypertension can occur at any age.” Researcher Lai Jianqiang, director of the National Action Office for the National Healthy Lifestyle Action and the Chronic Disease Division of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said that the current prevalence of hypertension across the country is increasing. It increases significantly with age. Hypertension in young people is also worth noting, and regular screening for hypertension is also required.

Experts remind that you should keep a blood pressure monitor at home and measure it regularly to help you see blood pressure changes, detect problems in time, and control risk factors.

There are also some patients who believe that “lifestyle management can cure high blood pressure without taking medicine.” Feng Xue, director of the National Cardiovascular Disease Center and the Cardiac Rehabilitation Center of Fuwai Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, said that although lifestyle is the basic means to prevent or manage hypertension, if you still have high blood pressure after 3 months of strict lifestyle management, or People with moderate to high risk of hypertension should receive antihypertensive drug treatment immediately.

Exercise can relieve tension and reduce weight. Experts recommend that patients can perform 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week according to their own conditions, such as brisk walking, jogging, swimming or cycling, as well as appropriate muscle strength exercises and flexibility exercises.

“Patients with high blood pressure want to control their blood pressure. It is recommended to eat less salt and eat lighter.” Wang Boshi, deputy director of the clinical nutrition department of Peking University People’s Hospital, said that long-term scientific salt restriction can delay the rise of blood pressure with age. speed. At the same time, patients with high blood pressure should also eat more whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy foods, and less foods rich in saturated fat and cholesterol.

Experts said that in addition to diet, patients should also pay attention to five aspects, including weight loss for overweight and obese people, moderate exercise, quitting smoking and drinking, and maintaining a positive and optimistic attitude.

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