Have you fallen for any of these?

The "Guidelines for Health Education of Hypertension Patients in China (2021)" published by the Hypertension Center of Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences shows that more than 270 million people in my country suffer from hypertension. Hypertension is also a chronic disease in human diseases. Hypertension, as one of the most important risk factors for death from cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, exists among urban and rural residents. However, there are still many patients who have some cognitive misunderstandings about hypertension, believing that hypertension only exists in the elderly, that young and middle-aged people will not suffer from hypertension, and that they can stop taking antihypertensive drugs if their blood pressure is lowered. These are all misunderstandings that need to be corrected. The following are aspects of hypertension that we often misunderstand.

1. Misunderstandings about Hypertension Treatment

Myth 1: Antihypertensive drugs have side effects, and taking health supplements can lower blood pressure

Any medicine has side effects. Patients need to take the medicine according to the doctor's advice and drug instructions. The side effects are very mild and will not have adverse effects on the body. Hypertension is a lifelong disease. If it is not treated and allowed to develop, it will increase the risk of arteriosclerosis. The heart, brain, kidneys, eyes and other important organs of the body will be harmed due to high blood pressure. These harms are much greater than the side effects of antihypertensive drugs. Health care products are a kind of food, not a medicine, and its antihypertensive effect has not been scientifically clinically verified. There is no guarantee of a clear antihypertensive effect, so health care products are not used to treat hypertension.

Myth 2: If your blood pressure is high but you don’t feel it, it’s not a big problem

The "Healthy China Action (2019-2030)" points out that if the systolic blood pressure is ≥140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mmHg measured three times on different days without using antihypertensive drugs, hypertension can be diagnosed.

It has been clinically proven that the patient's blood pressure gradually increases and eventually reaches the value that is considered hypertension. Therefore, there is no obvious feeling during this process, but the patient's blood vessels, heart, kidneys and other organs are constantly damaged during the process of blood pressure increase. If not diagnosed and treated in time, it will lead to stroke, myocardial infarction, renal failure, aortic dissection and other problems.

Myth 3: Young people don’t get high blood pressure

Hypertension is not related to age, so everyone may have hypertension. The risk of hypertension increases with age. In recent years, due to the high pressure of life and work, unhealthy diet and insufficient sleep of young people, these bad habits have increased the probability of young people suffering from hypertension, so the detection and screening of hypertension also needs to be carried out among young people.

Hypertension is hereditary. If your parents or close relatives have hypertension, you are likely to have it. The way to delay or prevent hypertension is to maintain a healthy lifestyle every day.

Myth 4: Blood pressure is high in winter, but normal in summer, so you can reduce the dose of medication

Blood pressure changes with the seasons, usually higher in winter and lower in summer. Some patients' blood pressure rises slowly, and drops as the ambient temperature rises, especially in summer. Therefore, the blood pressure of these patients is within the normal range, so they think they can remain normal without taking antihypertensive drugs.

As people's living standards improve, the standard blood pressure value is 130/85 mmHg according to the 2022 "Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Hypertension in China". If the patient's blood pressure is within the normal range through a reasonable diet and medication, and can remain stable for two to three weeks, the dosage can be appropriately reduced under the guidance of a doctor. During this period, patients should continue to monitor their blood pressure, and if the monitored blood pressure increases, they should go to the hospital for medical treatment in time.

Myth 5: The faster and lower your blood pressure drops, the better

Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases can be effectively prevented when blood pressure is reduced to the normal range, but the speed of blood pressure reduction cannot be the only requirement. The blood pressure should be kept stable and effectively reduced. Hypertensive patients should reduce their blood pressure to the normal range within 3 to 10 weeks and need to control it according to the changes in their condition. For young patients and patients with a short course of illness, the speed of blood pressure reduction can be slightly adjusted according to their own conditions; usually, for elderly patients with a long course of illness and other complications, the speed of blood pressure reduction needs to be controlled more slowly.

Myth 6: If you don’t have high blood pressure, you don’t need to measure your blood pressure regularly

For patients with a history of hypertension, it is very important to measure blood pressure regularly, so as to detect blood pressure conditions in time and seek medical treatment in time if there is any discomfort. Hypertensive patients should measure their blood pressure 2 to 3 times in the morning and evening, and sit still for 10 minutes before measuring. People with normal blood pressure should measure their blood pressure at least twice a year, and record their blood pressure values ​​in time after measurement to ensure that their blood pressure is controlled below 130/85 mmHg.

People with a family history of hypertension, heavy food, smoking, long-term heavy drinking, obesity, long-term mental stress, staying up late, and lack of exercise are at high risk of hypertension. High-risk groups should measure their blood pressure from time to time and eat and live under the health guidance of medical staff. The "Healthy China Action (2019-2030)" proposes that adults aged 18 and above need to monitor their blood pressure regularly, pay attention to changes in their blood pressure, control risk factors that cause hypertension, eat healthily, and live healthily.

2. Recommendations for the prevention and control of hypertension

1. Keep exercising: Physical activity can prevent and control high blood pressure, such as brisk walking, jogging, swimming, housework, etc. The amount of activity should be appropriate according to your own situation. For patients who have been exercising for a long time, it is recommended to reach moderate intensity.

2. Control salt intake: A high-salt diet can lead to sodium ion accumulation in the body, water retention, and increased blood volume, which in turn increases the burden on the heart and blood vessel pressure, leading to increased blood pressure. Adults should not consume more than 6 grams of salt per day.

3. Control the intake of high-fat and high-sugar foods. It is recommended to eat more vegetables and fruits.

4. Quit smoking: Quitting smoking can effectively prevent hypertension. When the smoking rate in the population decreases, the overall incidence of hypertension can be reduced by 3 times. At the same time, quitting smoking can reduce the blood pressure of hypertensive patients by 6~10mmHg.

**Three.** Tips for patients with hypertension

1. Target value for blood pressure reduction: For patients with general hypertension, blood pressure should be reduced to below 135/90 mmHg; for patients with diabetes and chronic kidney disease, blood pressure can be reduced to below 125/80 mmHg; for patients over 80 years old, blood pressure should be reduced to below 150/90 mmHg.

2. Everyone is the first person responsible for their own health. Hypertension is a lifelong disease that requires long-term standardized treatment and follow-up management. The state has included the health management of hypertensive patients in the basic public health service program. Hypertensive patients should learn to manage their own health, take medications carefully according to the doctor's advice, and insist on measuring blood pressure, which can reduce the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events.

Author: Chen Qihua Jiexi County Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital