1.What is the awareness rate of hypertension in our population?
A: In 2002, the National Survey on Nutrition and Health of the Population showed that the awareness rate, treatment rate and control rate of hypertension in our population were only 30%, 25% and 6% respectively. This means that 70% of the de facto hypertensive population in China does not know that they have hypertension. There are about 200 million hypertensive patients in China, of which 140 million are not aware, 30 million of those who are aware are not treated, and 75% of those who are treated are not controlled, so the situation is serious. Only by knowing your blood pressure level and knowing that you have hypertension can you improve the rate of treatment and control of hypertension.
2.How can you know your blood pressure?
A: To know your blood pressure level, you must measure your blood pressure. For adults older than 18 years old with “normal blood pressure”, it is recommended to measure blood pressure every 2 years; for people older than 35 years old, it is recommended to measure blood pressure once a year; for people prone to hypertension (blood pressure 130-139/85-89 mmHg, obesity, long-term excessive alcohol consumption, family history of hypertension), it is recommended to measure blood pressure every 6 months. Blood pressure should be measured once every 6 months. Patients with hypertension are encouraged to take their own blood pressure at home, and those with standard and stable blood pressure should have their blood pressure taken once a week; those with substandard or unstable blood pressure should have their blood pressure taken more often. Insist on the system of measuring blood pressure at the first consultation. Patients who visit health institutions should have their blood pressure measured regardless of what they are seeing. Elderly people are advised to take their own blood pressure at home to know their blood pressure level. Hypertension is diagnosed if blood pressure is ≥ 140/90 mmHg on three blood pressure measurements on non-same day.
Definition and concept of healthy blood pressure. An office blood pressure reading of <120/80 mmHg was defined as healthy blood pressure. Regular and standardized home blood pressure measurements using an upper-arm automated sphygmomanometer were advocated. Home blood pressure measurements are judged by different criteria than office blood pressure. Home blood pressure readings ≥135/85 mmHg are considered hypertensive, while healthy blood pressure readings are <115/75 mmHg.
3.Is the target value of blood pressure control the same for hypertensive patients?
A: Regarding the goal of blood pressure lowering treatment for hypertensive patients, in general, blood pressure in general hypertensive patients is lowered to below 140/90mmHg. Elderly (≥60 years old) hypertensive patients blood pressure down to 150/90mmHg or less. Young people or patients with diabetes, cerebrovascular disease, coronary heart disease stable angina, chronic kidney disease should also be reduced to below 140/90mmHg, if tolerated blood pressure can be further reduced to below 130/80mmHg, in the case of tolerated, blood pressure reduction is conducive to the protection of target organs and reduce the occurrence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. However, the diastolic blood pressure of some elderly people and patients with coronary heart disease should not be lowered to below 60mmHg.
4.More than half of China’s cardiovascular disease incidence is related to hypertension, what are the dangers of hypertension?
A: China has at least 200 million people with hypertension, and 2 million deaths each year are related to hypertension. There are more than half of the cardiovascular disease incidence and hypertension-related.
Hypertension is a chronic disease, elevated blood pressure causes chronic and continuous damage to the target organs of the heart, brain and kidneys, causing severe strokes, myocardial infarction and kidney disease. Hypertension is the most important risk factor for heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and diabetes morbidity and mortality, and deaths due to cardiovascular disease account for about 41% of total national deaths.
5.What should be noted in the treatment of hypertensive patients?
A: Domestic and foreign research and practical experience have proved that good control of blood pressure can protect target organs and reduce the occurrence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Patients with hypertension should recognize the importance and necessity of long-term stable and effective control of hypertension. Long-term adherence to non-pharmacological therapy means changing poor lifestyle and behavior; long-term adherence to the rational use of antihypertensive drugs. The two complement each other and should not be biased; moreover, non-pharmacological therapy should not be used instead of pharmacological therapy. Choose a standard hospital, standardize the use of antihypertensive drugs, try to use long-acting antihypertensive drugs, long-term smooth and effective control of hypertension.
And note that most patients need to take antihypertensive drugs for long-term standardized treatment. The goal of antihypertensive treatment should be met. Do not blindly believe in small advertisements or pseudoscientific propaganda. Not to replace antihypertensive drug treatment with health care products, health care physical therapy or dietary therapy. Control blood pressure, can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and death.
6.Is hypertension a “lifestyle disease”? What is a healthy lifestyle?
A: Lifestyle diseases are the conclusion of developed countries after a large number of epidemiological studies on some chronic non-communicable diseases. The main cause of these chronic non-communicable diseases is people’s poor lifestyles. These include: obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular diseases such as stroke, diabetes and some malignant tumors. All these diseases are still difficult to be cured by modern medicine and seriously endanger people’s lives and health.
It is emphasized that a healthy lifestyle is an effective treatment for any patient with hypertension (including normal high value blood pressure) at any time to lower blood pressure and control other risk factors and clinical conditions and should be adopted by all patients. Healthy lifestyles include.
(1) Reducing sodium intake and increasing potassium salt intake. China is a high salt diet country, high sodium and low potassium is the main feature. 2002 national survey, China’s average daily salt intake of 12 grams per person, more than 1 times higher than the WHO requirement of 5 grams of salt per person. The sodium/potassium intake ratio of Chinese people is more than double that of European and American countries. High salt diet is an important environmental factor causing hypertension and stroke in China;
(2) Weight control: Eat more vegetables and fruits, less fast food, and try to eat at home, which can help to control the intake of fat, salt and sugar;
(3) Quit smoking (any age can benefit from quitting);
(4) Limit alcohol consumption: no or small amounts of alcohol;
(5) Exercise: Maintain moderate fitness physical activity to prevent and control hypertension, such as gardening, walking, housework, tai chi and swimming;
(6) Reduce mental stress and maintain psychological balance.
7.Why the latest concept of hypertension is a “cardiovascular syndrome”?
A: The new version of China’s hypertension diagnosis and treatment guidelines for the first time proposed that hypertension is a “cardiovascular syndrome” and must be treated comprehensively. In clinical practice, treatment measures should be determined according to the overall cardiovascular risk, i.e., treatment should not only pay attention to lowering blood pressure, but also focus on the comprehensive intervention of multiple cardiovascular risk factors (including smoking, dyslipidemia, diabetes, obesity, etc.), so as to effectively reduce mortality. The new guidelines emphasize the association between hypertension and cardiovascular risk in China, and that antihypertensive treatment can reduce the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
Hypertension and diabetes are the major chronic diseases that threaten the health of our population and are closely related to a healthy lifestyle. China has entered a period of high burden of chronic diseases, with more than 300 million people diagnosed with chronic diseases, and the composition of deaths due to chronic diseases has risen to 85% of the total deaths of the population. The chronic diseases mentioned here are “cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases”, which are also the most important public health problems in the world. What is even more worrying is that nearly 600 million people in China have one or more risk factors related to chronic diseases, which is equivalent to nearly half of the country’s population being under the threat of chronic diseases, and nearly 85% of them are under the age of 65.
On August 28, 2014, the General Office of the National Health and Family Planning Commission issued a notice on the 2014 Chronic Disease Publicity Day series: September 1, 2014 is the 8th “National Healthy Lifestyle Day”, with the theme “Walk 10,000 steps a day, eat and move in a balanced way, and be healthy for life. October 8 is the 17th “National Hypertension Day”, the theme is “Know your blood pressure”. October 29 is the 9th “World Stroke Day”, the theme is “Know your blood pressure”. “November 14 is the 8th United Nations Diabetes Day, with the theme of “Healthy Eating and Diabetes. The theme is “Healthy Eating and Diabetes”. Medical and nursing staff are called upon to reach out to the grassroots and communities to provide education on prevention and control of chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, and to provide individualized guidance on healthy lifestyles and disease management.