How Well Do You Know Your Blood Pressure? ... Hypertension Awareness Among Adults Living in Busan Below National Average

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Measuring blood pressure. [Image source=Clipart Korea]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Dongguk Lee] The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency announced the main results of the 2021 Community Health Survey on the 13th.

This survey is conducted under Article 4 of the Regional Health Act, where 255 public health centers nationwide collect health status data of local residents to produce health statistics at the city, county, and district levels, which serve as basic data for regional health and medical plans and enable comparisons between regions.

In 2021, a one-on-one interview survey was conducted with 229,242 adults covering 18 areas and 163 questions, including smoking, drinking, and physical activity.

Notably, the awareness rate of hypertension among adults living in Busan was reported to be below the national average, drawing attention.

Among the survey subjects in Busan, the awareness rate of blood pressure readings was 58.9%, which is 2.7% lower than the national median of 61.6%, but 3.3% higher than the lowest, Incheon, at 55.6%. It was 12.3% lower than the highest, Sejong, at 71.2%.

Additionally, the diagnosis experience rate of hypertension among those aged 30 and over was 17.9%, 2.1% lower than the national median of 20.0%, 4.4% lower than the highest, Incheon, at 22.3%, and only 0.8% higher than the lowest, Gwangju, at 17.1%. The treatment rate among those diagnosed with hypertension aged 30 and over was 92.4%, 0.9% lower than the national median of 93.3%, 3.9% lower than the highest, Jeonnam, at 96.3%, and 1.9% higher than the lowest, Daejeon, at 90.5%.

The statistics show that in Busan, the awareness of blood pressure readings, as well as hypertension diagnosis and treatment rates, are lower than the national median.

This is attributed mainly to Busan’s monthly drinking rate of 54.3%, which is higher than the median of 53.7%, and the rate of practicing moderate or higher intensity physical activity at 18.1%, which is lower than the median of 19.7%. The smoking rate was 17.8%, showing a small difference of about 1.3% compared to the median of 19.1%.

Cardiology specialists in Busan who reviewed the survey results warned that since hypertension has no clear subjective symptoms, it is necessary to regularly measure blood pressure to check one’s blood pressure status.

Blood pressure quantifies the pressure exerted by blood pumped by the heartbeat on the arterial walls. When the heart contracts and pumps blood, it is called systolic blood pressure (the highest blood pressure), and when the heart relaxes and rests, it is called diastolic blood pressure (the lowest blood pressure). According to Korean standards, systolic blood pressure of 140 mmHg or higher or diastolic blood pressure of 90 mmHg or higher is considered hypertension.

Hypertension, known as a representative chronic disease along with diabetes, often shows no clear symptoms and is called the “silent killer” because it causes life-threatening diseases such as arteriosclerosis, myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction, arrhythmia, and angina.

The causes of hypertension are broadly classified into primary hypertension and secondary hypertension, with most cases being primary hypertension. Although the exact causes of primary hypertension are not clearly identified, risk factors mainly include low physical activity, stress, obesity, smoking, alcohol consumption, and old age.

Most hypertension patients require lifelong blood pressure treatment and management. Especially after hypertension develops, it is essential to improve daily lifestyle habits. Managing weight to an appropriate level, eating less salty food, quitting smoking and drinking, exercising regularly, and reducing stress help control blood pressure. If lifestyle changes do not control blood pressure or if blood pressure is very high, medication is used to control it, and sometimes multiple medications are taken together to manage blood pressure effectively.

Dr. Suhyeong Kim, Head of the Cardiovascular Center at Daedong Hospital and a cardiology specialist, said, “The saying ‘Know yourself and your enemy, and you will win every battle’ is a four-character idiom that must be remembered not only in war but also in disease management. It is crucial to know your current blood pressure status accurately and to perform early diagnosis and treatment to prevent more severe complications.” He advised, “Even if there are no symptoms, regularly measure your blood pressure, and if the readings are high, actively engage in treatment through consultation with a cardiology specialist. It is absolutely forbidden to stop treatment arbitrarily.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.