'People above 30 years should get BP checked regularly'

Varanasi: To mark World Hypertension Day, the health department on Saturday launched a month-long public awareness campaign and screening activities.

Chief medical officer Dr Sandeep Chaudhary said: "Every year on May 17, World Hypertension Day is celebrated. This year, the theme is ‘measure your blood pressure accurately, control it, live longer'. The aim is to promote the prevention, early detection, and treatment of hypertension at the community level."

During this period, awareness programmes will be held at district hospitals, all urban and rural CHCs and PHCs. These will include walkathons, marathons, rallies, cycling rallies, quizzes, slogan writing, painting competitions and street plays. Additionally, screening camps will be organised at govt health units, bus stands, railway stations and urban slums, where checks for hypertension, diabetes, and cancer will be conducted. The deputy CMO and programme nodal officer Dr YB Pathak said everyone over the age of 30 should regularly get their BP checked.

"For this, under the STEMI project, arrangements have been made for testing at all community health centres (CHCs), including district hospitals. Anyone can go there to get tested," he said.

He said: "Hypertension is also known as high blood pressure. It often results from an irregular lifestyle, obesity, ignoring stress and poor diet. By adopting a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle, we can certainly avoid it. High BP can lead to serious conditions like heart attack, stroke, chronic kidney disease, and vision loss."

Common symptoms include headaches, excessive stress, chest pain or heaviness, difficulty breathing, sudden anxiety, difficulty understanding or speaking, sudden numbness, tingling or weakness in the face, arms, or legs, or blurred vision.

Preventive measures include maintaining an average blood pressure between 85 and 135. "If it exceeds this, seek treatment. Such patients should regularly monitor their blood pressure and pay special attention to their diet. Exercise to maintain a balanced weight, and avoid smoking and alcohol consumption," he said.