Do you know who is prone to high blood pressure?

Author: Zhao Xia Department of Cardiology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University

Reviewer: Xia Jinggang, Chief Physician, Department of Cardiology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University

Hypertension is a common cardiovascular disease that seriously affects people's health and quality of life. The prevalence of hypertension in my country is higher in the north than in the south, and higher in large cities than in small cities. The occurrence and development of hypertension are affected by many factors, some of which we cannot change, such as age, genetics, gender, etc., and some factors we can adjust by improving our lifestyle, such as diet, exercise, smoking, drinking, weight, mental stress, etc. Knowing who is prone to hypertension will help us take preventive and control measures in a timely manner to reduce the harm caused by hypertension.

The following groups of people should pay special attention to preventing and controlling hypertension.

1. Older people

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As we age, the walls of our blood vessels gradually become harder, and our blood pressure rises accordingly. The elderly are at high risk of developing hypertension, but in recent years, hypertension has also increasingly occurred in young and middle-aged people. Whether young or old, you should monitor your blood pressure regularly and take reasonable lifestyle interventions and medications based on your doctor's advice.

2. People with family history

Hypertension has a certain genetic tendency. If parents or close relatives have hypertension, then their children or other relatives are more likely to suffer from hypertension. Such people should develop good living habits from an early age, avoid eating too salty, too oily, or too sweet food, maintain moderate exercise, control weight, quit smoking and limit alcohol, and reduce mental stress.

3. Male

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Men are more likely to suffer from hypertension than women, especially young and middle-aged men. This may be related to men's physiological characteristics, living habits and social roles. Men should pay attention to protecting their cardiovascular health, check their blood pressure regularly, and seek medical treatment in time.

4. Obese people

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Obesity is one of the important causes of high blood pressure. Obese people have increased heart burden and vascular resistance, which leads to high blood pressure. Obese people should actively lose weight to achieve an ideal body mass index (BMI), BMI = weight ÷ height 2 (kg/m2), the normal value is 18.5~23.9 kg/m2; they should also maintain good eating and exercise habits.

5. People with unhealthy lifestyles

An unhealthy lifestyle can increase the risk of hypertension, such as excessive intake of salt, oil and sugar, lack of exercise, smoking, excessive drinking, and long-term mental stress. These bad habits can damage blood vessel function, affect blood circulation, and cause high blood pressure. Currently, the World Health Organization recommends that each person consume less than 5g of salt per day; increase the intake of unsaturated fatty acids (such as soybean oil, olive oil, tea oil and other vegetable oils and fish oil) and reduce saturated fatty acids (such as lard, butter, etc.); quit smoking and limit alcohol; exercise moderately; and relax. Therefore, improving lifestyle is one of the key measures to prevent and treat hypertension.

In short, hypertension is a cardiovascular disease that can be prevented and controlled. We should take appropriate measures according to our own situation to maintain normal blood pressure levels and reduce the incidence of complications such as heart disease and stroke.