KT for good: Watch your lifestyle to prevent hypertension

Get healthy, your life depends on it.

A healthy you means a healthy society. Khaleej Times' latest campaign under the 'KT For Good' umbrella highlights common lifestyle diseases. In Part 5 of our Health Matters series, we tell you how the life of a 39-year-old changed after being diagnosed with hypertension.
Living with hypertension is like spending your time with a ticking time bomb that could go off anytime. And as doctors say, hypertension creeps upon you silently.
For Nelson Vaz, a 39-year-old Dubai-based sales professional from Mumbai, the symptoms came through as anxiety and chest pain two years ago.
KT for good: Get your blood pressure checked today
"I was playing cricket outdoors and I felt very tired suddenly," Nelson told Khaleej Times. "I started sweating and felt pain in my chest, and I was anxious, too. So I thought there was something wrong with me and I needed to go to a doctor as soon as possible," he said.
He was diagnosed as hypertensive. "My job as a sales person is quite stressful. I have to deal with all kinds of customers, some of them do give me a lot of stress," he said.
He added that even with small issues, his anxiety levels shoot up.
Nelson's doctor pinpointed his unhealthy lifestyle as a reason for getting high blood pressure at a young age. "I ate a lot of red meat, especially beef, I smoked and I was obese," he said.
A sedentary lifestyle as a customer service representative also added to his ill health. "I used to binge on fast food, especially pizzas, at work," he said.
He was 90kg when he was diagnosed, and doctors told him he was overweight. "I cut down my weight to 75kg but have gained weight again recently. I am at 80kg now," he said, adding that being overweight was affecting him in many other ways.
Nelson also craved cigarettes, which aggravated the problem. After his consultation with the doctor, he was put on a weight-loss diet.
"I gave up red meat and shifted to white meat, especially chicken and fish, and also added more vegetables to my diet," he said.
He was also given medication to control his blood pressure which he takes regularly, early in the morning. "The doctor said the medicines could be given up if I managed to control my blood pressure," he said.
He has now also added exercise to his daily routine as he tries to reach his ideal weight.
"I have turned to a more disciplined lifestyle now," said Nelson. He advised people to get a complete health check-up once a year.
"The moment you cross 32, my advice is to go and get a complete check-up that includes your weight and blood pressure," he said, adding that donating blood once a year is also helpful.
What happens to your body if your blood pressure is not controlled:

1. Damage to your arteries: Hypertension gradually increases the pressure of blood flowing through your arteries. Aneurysm: Over time, the constant pressure of blood moving through a weakened artery can cause enlargement in a section of its wall, forming a bulge (aneurysm). An aneurysm can rupture and cause life-threatening internal bleeding.
2. Damage to your heart: Uncontrolled high blood pressure can damage your heart in many ways. It can cause coronary artery disease, enlarged left heart, heart failure
3. Damage to your brain: High blood pressure can cause several problems, including mini-stroke caused by a blood clot, stroke, dementia, mild cognitive impairment
4. Damage to your kidneys: High blood pressure can injure both the blood vessels in and leading to your kidneys, causing several types of kidney diseases (nephropathy), kidney failure, kidney scarring, kidney artery aneurysm
5. Damage to your eyes: Like other vessels, the eyes can also be damaged, causing eye blood vessel damage (retinopathy), fluid buildup under the retina (choroidopathy), nerve damage (optic neuropathy) 
6. Sexual dysfunction The problem is fairly common, especially among men who are not managing their high blood pressure. Women may have sexual dysfunction as a side effect of high blood pressure, as well.
- asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com
 
 
 

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