Excess salt intake causes hypertension

KATHMANDU, May 17: Do you eat too much salt in your diet? Do you smoke? Do you drink heavily? Are you overweight? Are you often stressed or anxious? Do you have a family history of high blood pressure? If yes, chances are you may have high blood pressure.



“Everybody should get their blood pressure checked regularly,” advises Bharat Rawat, Executive Director and Consultant Cardiologist at Norvic International Hospital. [break]



“Those with the risk factors must be more vigilant. The chain smokers and heavy drinkers are more likely to have hypertension,” Dr Rawat said on the eve of World Hypertension Day that falls on May 17.



The slogan for this year is ´Know your numbers and target your blood pressure´ as over 50% people remain unaware of the fact that they have blood pressure, say the doctors.



“You just can´t say that you are safe due to young age as around 10% of those with hypertension in Nepal are below 30 years,” he added.



There are no accurate data on hypertension in Nepal but Dr Rawat said around 20-25% of urban populace aged 20-40 years may be having hypertension. He said the urban youths are in greater risk due to sedentary life-style, consumption of fast food and junk food, stress, frequent parties, and lack of exercise.



He said hypertension over a long period of time affects heart, brain, kidney and eyes, and severe hypertension may lead to brain hemorrhage, hypertension stroke and heart-attack.



“The World Health Organization (WHO) says globally seven million people die of hypertension every year and 2.5 million of those deaths can be prevented if salt intake is halved,” Dr Rawat said pointing at the risk of salt in-take.



He said about 50% of the daily salt requirement can be met by eating fruits and vegetables, without adding table salt, and advised judicious use of table salt in cooking.



Medically the cause of most cases of hypertension, around 90%, is not known, says Dr Rawat, but almost half of those may be due to genetics. “Ten percent of the cases may be due to other conditions like kidney and hormone problems, and overuse of medicines,” he stated.



Smoking, alcohol abuse, obesity, high salt intake and stress, however, are more common causes of increase in blood pressure. Rawat, therefore, advises quitting smoking and drinking, and turning to consumption of hygienic food with less salt and regular exercise.

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