Restrict salt intake, ensure healthy diet to prevent hypertension

CHENNAI: Excess salt consumption is proven cause for 17-30% cases of hypertension, said Health Secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi, at the World Hypertension Day awareness programme at Stanley Medical College and Hospital on Friday. The theme this year is ‘Measure your BP accurately, Control it, Live Longer’.

Inaugurating the stalls at the hospital to educate the public on the impact of hypertension on heart, kidneys, brain and eyes, Bedi pointed out that regular healthy eating habits such as including adequate fruits in diet are significant in managing hypertension.

Hypertension increases the risk for diseases like heart attack, stroke, and renal failure etc. The prevalence of hypertension is estimated to be 31% globally, and in India, it’s a whopping 28%.

“Yoga, meditation, exercises, effective stress management and walking 10,000 steps a day are some of the preventive methods. People with hypertension should ensure regular check-up rather than landing in the hospital with complications,” opined Bedi.

Stanley Medical College and Hospital also organised a screening programme for the public to test for hypertension and diabetes. Echocardiography and eye check-up were conducted to check for hypertension-related cardiac and retinal problems respectively.

The hospital has completed two years of the Government Comprehensive Master Health Check-up Scheme, which is being done at a cost of Rs 1,000. The scheme has been successful in detecting more than 430 new cases of hypertension and treating them. Under the Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam Programme, the hospital also provides free medicines for 6,100 patients with hypertension at their homes.