Up to 12 million people suffer from high blood pressure, meaning that one out of every five people develop the disease. — Photo MoH

HÀ NỘI – Up to 12 million people suffer from high blood pressure, meaning that one out of every five people develop the disease. However, most patients are not aware of their sickness, leading to unexpected complications, Minister of Health Nguyễn Thị Kim Tiến has warned.

Tiến said the disease was described as the silent killer as the majority of patients with hypertension usually have no symptoms. Only a few experience headache, dizziness, buzzing in the ears.

A survey conducted by the ministry in 2016 showed that nearly 60 per cent of high-blood pressure patients were not diagnosed and more than 80 per cent did not get treatment.

This could lead to complications such as stroke, heart attack or heart failure, resulting in paralysis or death.

Dr Trương Quang Việt, deputy director of Hà Nội Heart Hospital, said that hypertension was the most common type of disease and the number of patients, and the number of young people of working age with hypertensions has been growing due to poor nutrition, lack of physical activities, smoking and alcohol abuse.

A survey among 3,860 people nationwide by the ministry’s Preventive Medicine Department last September found that 15.16 per cent of people between 18 and 69 had high-blood pressure. Between the ages of  45 and 69 the rate was 27 per cent.

Jun Nakagawa, deputy head of the World Health Organization’s office in Việt Nam, said that in order to effectively prevent the disease, Việt Nam should create a healthy lifestyle for its people, such as a smoke-free environment, clean and safe food and fresh air.

The health system also needs further reform, focusing on strengthening the public health system and educating people about infectious disease prevention.

The ministry suggested that people should adopt healthy diets with more vegetables and fruits, reduce salt consumption to less than 5 grammes per day, and do physical activities for at least 30 minutes every day. – VNS