High BP – According to a study published in the Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association, the prevalence of hypertension among children aged five to 15 years in the country is around 12.6 percent.
These concerns were raised by leading cardiologists and other health experts while highlighting the increasing incidence of cardiometabolic syndrome, a set of conditions that occur together and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes in the country.
Several factors contribute to hypertension in the country’s young children, including a family history of hypertension, the growing trend of childhood obesity, an unhealthy diet high in salt, sugar, and saturated fat, physical inactivity, air pollution air, stress, as well as low socioeconomic status and lack of access to health care.
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Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is now a growing problem among children in Pakistan, but we often do not control it, so we do not fully understand the seriousness of the situation,” said Pakistan Hypertension League general secretary (PHL), Professor Abdur Rashid.
“If we start screening our children and adolescents, especially those who are obese, smokers, and physically inactive, we will be able to identify a significant number of hypertensive children and adolescents.”
Calling for early detection and diagnosis to address hypertension in the country’s young children, Professor Rasheed emphasized healthy lifestyle modifications including a balanced diet, regular physical activity, management of associated conditions such as obesity & diabetes, and access to medical care and antihypertensive medications, if necessary. High BP
“Education and awareness among parents, caregivers, and healthcare providers are essential because by addressing hypertension in young children, we can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and other complications later in life. Executive Director of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Prof. Dr. Tahir Saghir, confirmed that the number of young people suffering from heart attacks is increasing in the country.
Dr. Saghir said people become diabetic at a young age, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. “Of the 1,000 people who have been brought to us for heart attacks, between 50 and 100 are very young: between 20 and 30 years old.” High BP
He pointed out that consumption of a high-calorie diet is causing weight gain among people due to a lack of physical activity. He advised people to monitor their weight, eat a healthy diet, and ensure adequate sleep at night to stay healthy and avoid contracting diabetes and hypertension.
Dr Somia Iqtidar, a prominent doctor and professor of medicine in Lahore, said people between the ages of 25 and 29 are suffering from heart attacks in her city. High BP
Dr Junaid Patel, professor of medicine at Indus Hospital, said: “These days we are seeing a significant rise in cases of hypertension among young adults in Pakistan, largely due to sedentary lifestyles characterized by physical inactivity, bad eating habits, excess salt and sugar consumption and smoking.” It is alarming to see people between the ages of 16 and 18 experiencing dangerously high levels of blood pressure, leading to strokes and heart attacks, he added. High BP
According to a recent report from the World Health Organization, the number of people living with hypertension (blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg or higher, or taking medications for hypertension) doubled between 1990 & 2019, from 650 million to 1.3 billion. Almost half of people with hypertension worldwide are currently unaware of their condition. High BP
Professor Muhammad Ishaq, patron of PHL, said there are around 33.2 million people with hypertension in Pakistan, of which around 18.59 million are undiagnosed. “Only 5.11 million are currently receiving treatment for hypertension and, of those, only 1.61 million have their hypertension under control.” High BP