World Hypertension Day: Prevention is better than cure

Risk factors for high blood pressure include taking stress, smoking, obesity, lack of exercise and genes: Doctor.

HYDERABAD: Hypertension is one of the leading psychiatric illnesses that causes threat to human life, said Dr Darya Khan Leghari of Sir CJ Institute of Psychiatry on World Hypertension Day on Tuesday.

He said that hypertension, which is commonly known as high blood pressure, is a medical condition where the blood pressure is chronically elevated often leading to a heart attack. In order to prevent it, Dr Leghari said that reducing weight, walking for at least two kilometres and avoiding common salt is necessary.

The risk factors for high blood pressure include taking stress, smoking, obesity, lack of exercise and genes, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 18^th, 2011.