Young people are just as susceptible to hypertension as older people, doctors said, adding that it is a misconception that the condition only occurs in older people.
In Taiwan, 28.93 percent of people aged 40 to 64, and 63.52 percent of people over 65 have hypertension Health Promotion Administration (HPA) data from 2017 to 2020 showed.
The data showed that 9.57 percent of men in the 20-to-39 age group had hypertension in people age 20 to 39 was recorded in 9.57 percent of men, 2.8 times the rate among women in the same age group.
Photo: Chang Yi-chen, Taipei Times
Young men attend business meals, eat out and stay up late to play video games more often than females, and are less concerned about weight control, cardiologist and Taiwan Hypertension Society education committee convenor Cheng Hao-min (鄭浩民) said.
Additionally, hormonal changes during menopause can make blood pressure more reactive to salt in the diet, balancing out hypertension risks between genders after age 60, he said.
Cheng said that he has seen increasing numbers of young patients in his cardiology department in the past few years, with some patients in their 30s registering exceptionally high levels of systolic blood pressure.
Getting an inadequate amount of sleep, along with high-salt and high-fat diets, increase the risk of hypertension, he said, adding that high levels of sodium in the blood draws water from cells, increasing pressure on the vascular wall and leading to hypertension.
Sleeping helps the sympathetic nervous system to relax, while a lack of sleep adds stress and can cause heightened sympathetic activation and high blood pressure, Cheng said.
All adults from college age should measure their blood pressure at least once a year, while people with a family history of hypertension should regularly measure blood pressure levels to better monitor the changes, which can also serve as referential data for healthcare professionals if a person needs to seek treatment, the HPA said.
Normal blood pressure can be maintained by following a healthy diet that is high in fiber and low in fat, sugar and salt, along with regular exercise, it said.
People with hypertension usually do not experience noticeable symptoms, but it is a risk factor for cerebrovascular, heart and kidney diseases, National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH) Cardiovascular Center attending physician Wang Tzung-dau (王宗道) said.
Young people should monitor their blood pressure levels, he said, adding that high blood pressure can occur at any age.
A cross-border study conducted by NTUH showed that elderly ethnic Chinese with normal systolic blood pressure had a 26 percent reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, with a 73 percent reduced risk of acute heart failure, Cheng said.
The Taiwan Hypertension Society and the Taiwan Society of Cardiology are to issue a set of modified guidelines in May, he said.
Wang, who participated in the NTUH study, said the new guidelines would include lowering the threshold of hypertension and recommend using home blood pressure devices.
Regular measurements of blood pressure and modifying diet and lifestyle are effective ways to control blood pressure, he said.
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