If you are 18 and above, you may have high blood pressure.
It may be shocking for many that the disease, which is often mistakenly associated with old age, can attack the young, hearty and hale.
Add that to the statistics released by the Health Ministry last month that at least one in three Malaysians above 18 are believed to have high blood pressure, it would only be foolish to think of the disease to be linked to old age.
Sime Darby Healthcare senior dietician Nurul Aziah Musa said the initial high risk group for the disease which is also known as hypertension, was over 35 years old.
However, Nurul Aziah said the disease is affecting younger people nowadays solely because of the unhealthy lifestyle that they lead.
“According to the National Health Mobility Survey (NHMS) which is conducted every five years, about 32.73 per cent of Malaysians aged 18 and above are believed to be suffering from the disease.
“Once you are diagnosed with hypertension, don’t take it lightly as failure to treat it will lead to other complications such as heart attack, stroke and renal failure,” she warned.
Unfortunately, Nurul Aziah stressed that high blood pressure is a silent killer.
“For many, the disease comes unannounced as there are no symptoms of it inhibiting your body. For some, the symptoms may include headaches, blurry vision, chest pains, and rapid heartbeats.
“The only sure fire way to determine whether you are a possible victim of the disease is to go to the nearest clinic or hospital for a blood pressure test. Even if you are not suffering from the disease, it is advisable to do regular screening to monitor your blood pressure level.
“Alternatively, one can always purchase a portable blood pressure machine for easy checkups at home,” she said.
Nurul Aziah said among the five modifiable risk factors to prevent hypertension is to reduce sodium intake.
“The recommended salt intake for Malaysians according to the 2010 Malaysian Dietary Guidelines is five grams or less than 2,000mg of salt. That is less than one level teaspoon of salt per day!”.
T K Letchumy Tamboo
Tue Apr 02 2013
Tindak balas antarabangsa bantu mangsa Taufan Yagi di Myanmar diperlukan
Taufan Yagi melanda utara Myanmar pada 10 September, menyebabkan banjir teruk, tanah runtuh dan kemusnahan meluas di seluruh negara.
Populasi warga emas berusia 100 tahun di Jepun melebihi 95,000
Bilangan penduduk berusia sekurang-kurangnya 100 tahun di Jepun dianggarkan mencecah 95,119 orang pada September.
Pantai Port Dickson tumpuan pengunjung musim cuti sekolah
Pantai peranginan di Port Dickson menjadi tumpuan pengunjung dari seluruh pelosok negeri untuk berkelah bersama keluarga sempena musim cuti persekolahan ini.
Malaysia melihat kemampanan industri nadir bumi dengan potensi semakan perundangan
Ia untuk menilai keperluan pelarasan bagi pengawasan cekap sektor unsur nadir bumi bukan radioaktif (NR-REE).
23 projek rumah mampu milik akan dibina menerusi RMK-12
Kesemua projek berkenaan akan menyediakan lebih 7,000 unit RMM, yang dibina khusus untuk membantu golongan berpendapatan rendah (B40).
Rusia, Malaysia jalin kerjasama dalam pelancongan mesra Muslim
Rusia dan Malaysia sedia utingkatkan pelancongan mesra Muslim menerusi kerjasama baharu antara badan pensijilan halal Rusia, Roskachestvo dan Pusat Pelancongan Islam Malaysia.
IShowSpeed tiba di KL, terima baju batik daripada peminat
Speed menerima hadiah daripada beberapa orang peminat Malaysia ketika kenderaannya berhenti di lampu isyarat di ibu negara pada Selasa,
Penyanyi Sean Diddy ditangakp di New York
Penerbit muzik terkenal, Puff Daddy atau lebih dikenali sebagai Sean Diddy Combs yang berdepan dengan beberapa tuduhan serangan seksual telah diberkas di Manhatann, New York oleh ejen persekutuan pada Isnin waktu tempatan.
10 maut, puluhan cedera bas Iran terbalik
Menurut angka awal, kemalangan itu mengakibatkan 10 maut dan 41 cedera.
Malaysia perlu melabur dalam infrastruktur
Pengarah Eksekutif Ukrainian Prism, Hennadiy Maksak berpandangan, Malaysia juga tidak boleh bergantung kepada satu laluan, selain menjalin hubungan yang baik dengan negara-negara jiran.
Benarkah senaman HIIT tidak baik untuk kesihatan?
Ramai menyatakan senaman itu berkesan untuk mereka namun kajian sebelum ini menyatakan terlalu banyak senaman HIIT tidak baik untuk kesihatan.