Are you aware of hypertension (high blood pressure), a common health risk healthcare providers call the "silent killer"? You may not notice anything goes wrong, but the damage has already occurred within your body.
According to World Health Organization (WHO) statistics, an estimated 1.28 billion adults aged 30-79 worldwide live with hypertension, two-thirds of whom live in low- and middle-income countries. Hypertension is a leading cause of mortality globally, and it's estimated that 46% of adults with hypertension are unaware of their condition. In Australia, one person dies from cardiovascular disease every 12 minutes, and a stroke case occurs every 10 minutes.
In early July, Chung Wah Community Care (Chung Wah CC) invited the Royal Perth Hospital Research Foundation to host a health talk at the Balcatta Community Hub. The discussion was titled "Understanding the dangers of high blood pressure and the metabolic syndrome". Dr Omar Azzam, the keynote speaker, is a Nephrologist.
Hypertension refers to excessively high blood pressure. Blood pressure is represented by two numbers: 1. The systolic pressure shows the vascular pressure when the heart contracts; 2. The diastolic pressure shows the vascular pressure when the heart relaxes between beats. If blood pressure is measured on two different days, and the systolic pressure is ≥140 mmHg and/or the diastolic pressure is ≥90 mmHg on both days, hypertension can be diagnosed.
Symptoms of hypertension include anxiety, tension, headaches, palpitations, bleeding, and difficulty breathing. Risk factors for hypertension can be divided into modifiable and non-modifiable. Modifiable ones include obesity, excessive salt intake, alcohol consumption, smoking, lack of exercise, and stress. Non-modifiable ones include a family history of hypertension, ageing, race, gender, and gestational hypertension. The complications of hypertension can damage the heart and even be life-threatening. High pressure can cause atherosclerosis, reducing the blood and oxygen flow to the heart, leading to chest pain, heart failure, irregular heart rhythms, and other potentially fatal heart problems. Hypertension can also cause strokes and kidney failure. The speaker pointed out that changing lifestyles can help lower blood pressure, including losing weight, eating healthily, exercising more, quitting smoking and drinking, and taking medication on time.
The speaker highlighted that metabolic syndrome will be the next global health challenge. Due to the limitations of this article, we will discuss it in detail next time. After the seminar, professional medical staff from the RPH Research Foundation measured blood pressure for our senior clients and provided preliminary medical tips. The seniors were delighted with all the valuable information and gave the speaker and all medical staff warm applause.
Chung Wah has been servicing the WA community since 1909, dedicated to improving the quality of life of individuals from diverse backgrounds. Moreover, Chung Wah CC has over 35 years of professional care experience helping seniors and people with disability improve their well-being and better integrate into the community. In 2023, we're promoting our theme, "Embrace, Elevate & Flourish", and build a better community for all.
