[KoK! Health] To Prevent the 'Silent Killer' Hypertension... Regular Exercise, Quitting Smoking, and Moderation in Drinking Are Essential

▲Excessive sodium intake is cited as a major cause of hypertension. [Photo by Asia Economy DB]

[Asia Economy Reporter Myunghwan Lee] Advice has been given that regular exercise, quitting smoking and drinking, and eating less salty foods can help prevent hypertension.

Professor Haeyoung Lee of the Department of Cardiology at Seoul National University Hospital explained, "According to statistics in Korea, about 30% of the population aged 30 and over have hypertension." According to Professor Lee, the incidence of hypertension increases with age, with a prevalence rate of 65.2% among the elderly population aged 65 and older.

Blood pressure refers to the force exerted on the walls of blood vessels as the heart pumps blood throughout the body. Normal blood pressure is below 120 mmHg systolic and 80 mmHg diastolic. Hypertension occurs when the heart beats more frequently or blood vessels narrow, causing increased blood pressure. Hypertension often has no specific symptoms and is therefore called the "silent killer." In particular, about 60% of angina and myocardial infarction cases and about 90% of strokes are caused by hypertension.

Adults aged 18 and over are diagnosed with hypertension if their systolic blood pressure is 140 mmHg or higher, or their diastolic blood pressure is 90 mmHg or higher. Hypertension is broadly classified into two types: essential hypertension, which occurs due to multiple factors such as age and weight without a specific underlying disease. Essential hypertension accounts for more than 90% of all hypertension cases.

The remaining 10% of patients have secondary hypertension caused by specific conditions. Major causes of secondary hypertension include severe snoring, adrenal hyperfunction, and kidney dysfunction. Risk factors related to hypertension include family history, alcohol consumption, smoking, old age, lack of exercise, obesity, and a salty diet.

Definition of Blood Pressure.
Photo by Seoul National University Hospital

Usually, there are no specific symptoms in the early stages of hypertension, but over time it can cause complications in various organs. Persistent hypertension can lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and death, chronic kidney disease and uremia, vision loss, peripheral vascular disease, and other complications.

The primary goal of hypertension treatment is to lower blood pressure to below 140 mmHg systolic and 90 mmHg diastolic to reduce the incidence and mortality of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Treatment of hypertension is known to be effective through "combination drug therapy," which uses two or more medications complementarily to minimize side effects that may occur when using a single drug.

Although preventing hypertension can be challenging, the medical community advises that it is possible. First, reducing salt and broth intake and adopting a habit of eating less salty foods helps prevent hypertension. Additionally, weight loss through regular exercise is effective in lowering blood pressure. Exercise lowers blood pressure and improves cardiopulmonary function and dyslipidemia. Smoking and alcohol consumption are strong risk factors for increased blood pressure and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, so quitting smoking and moderating alcohol intake are essential for preventing hypertension.

Professor Lee advised, "Prevention of hypertension should be regarded as an investment in the future to prevent myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure, and other conditions that may occur later, and it should be well managed."

Professor Lee Haeyoung, Department of Cardiology, Seoul National University Hospital. Photo by Seoul National University Hospital

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