"Experiencing heavy workload"

"Experiencing heavy workload"

Take Control of Your Blood Pressure: From Adolescence to Prevent a Potential Stroke in the Future

Image Courtesy: Shutterstock

At the "Technologies of Longevity" medical forum in Moscow, experts underlined the importance of managing blood pressure, especially from adolescence. In the "Cardiological Puzzle" session, pediatric cardiologist Yulia Kotovskaya and geriatric physician Nadezhda Runiikhina discussed this crucial issue.

Ignoring seemingly harmless hypertension can lead to serious problems such as:

• Heart diseases like heart attacks
• Stroke, causing disruptions in brain blood flow
• Kidney issues or even failure
• Cognitive decline, particularly in the elderly

Kotovskaya advises regular blood pressure monitoring, even in young adults, to prevent energy loss, increased fatigue, and potential serious complications that may require constant treatment or hospitalization.

Coping with Hypertension

To keep blood pressure under control, consider these key factors:

1. Follow doctor-prescribed and selected medications consistently and diligently.
2. Take medications regularly, every day at the same time, to establish a habit, as recommended by geriatrician Nadezhda Runiikhina. Modern medicine caters to individual treatment and complex cases.
3. For older adults, it's essential to monitor not just blood pressure but also cognitive abilities, as hypertension can have a significant impact on the brain, says Runiikhina.
4. Lifestyle changes are vital.

Boost Your Activity

Incorporate light activities like walking or exercising for as little as 10 minutes daily to lower blood pressure and support heart health. The World Health Organization suggests at least 150 minutes of light physical activity weekly.

Watch Your Diet

Limit salt intake and consume more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Minimize Stress

This aids in maintaining blood pressure in check.

Image Courtesy: Shutterstock

MBITW (Must Be Implemented right Now!)

Start preventing hypertension from childhood and adolescence to avoid future problems.

Hypertension affects around 1 in every 15 children and adolescents worldwide. A study in Ontario (Canada) on 25,605 children with hypertension (1996-2021) showed they had a 2-4 times higher risk of suffering a heart attack, stroke, heart failure, or heart surgery within 13 years of diagnosis compared to their peers without hypertension.

What Should You Do?

• Encourage more activity: Less active children who spend more time on computers are more likely to develop hypertension later in life. Simple walks or outdoor games can benefit the body, according to pediatric cardiologist Yulia Kotovskaya.
• Foster healthy lifestyle habits from an early age: For instance, a teenager substituting 10 minutes of computer time with a walk with peers or a game of soccer may improve future blood pressure prognosis by 3-4 mmHg, which greatly impacts heart health.
• Schedule regular check-ups: Even young people should measure their blood pressure to detect problems early and start treatment promptly.

STAY INFORMED

If you have additional health conditions like diabetes or kidney problems, blood pressure control becomes essential. Modern treatments can handle even complex cases, turning this "cardiological puzzle" into a manageable issue.

TIP

One accessible preventive measure recommended by doctors is the use of potassium-enriched salt. Replacing 25% of sodium in salt with potassium significantly reduces the risk of developing hypertension. This simple habit can improve health and prolong life, according to experts.

1. Regular blood pressure monitoring, even in young adults, can prevent energy loss and potential serious complications, as advised by pediatric cardiologist Yulia Kotovskaya.
2. In incorporating lifestyle changes to manage blood pressure, fostering healthy habits from an early age can improve future blood pressure prognosis.
3. For older adults, it's essential to monitor not just blood pressure but also cognitive abilities, as hypertension can have a significant impact on the brain, according to geriatrician Nadezhda Runiikhina.
4. In the realm of workplace-wellness and health-and-wellness, chronic diseases like cardiovascular-health issues and mental-health problems can be managed with modern medical treatments, turning them into manageable concerns.

Read also: