He mistakenly believed the rumor about high blood pressure and became a vegetative state before the age of 60! Doctor reveals "blood pressure control standards at home"
Controlling blood pressure at home to less than 130 reduces the risk of stroke and myocardial infarction by one-third
“As the research evidence becomes more and more obvious, Taiwan’s diagnostic criteria for hypertension are expected to be revised down!” Dr. Hong Huifeng, director of the Department of Cardiology at Shin Kong Hospital, pointed out that hypertension and stroke are closely related, and East Asians are more likely to have stroke than Westerners. Maintaining the ideal Blood pressure is the most important factor. Do not listen to online rumors and let your blood pressure soar without control.
“Both Western and Eastern studies have shown the importance of blood pressure control.” Dr. Hong Huifeng explained that the “SPRINT” study was released by the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) a few years ago. It was found that people who control their self-measured blood pressure below 120 have a 25% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 27% lower overall mortality than those with a blood pressure of 140.
In 2021, Professor Wang Zongdao’s team at the National Taiwan University School of Medicine conducted a large-scale blood pressure lowering target study in mainland China for the Chinese area. The “STEP” study published in the “New England Journal of Medicine” divided 8,511 subjects into two groups, one group The blood pressure was controlled below 150 mm/Hg, and the blood pressure in the other group was controlled below 130 mm/Hg.
The results show that people who control their blood pressure below 130mm/Hg reduce the risk of stroke by 1/3, the risk of myocardial infarction by 1/4, and the risk of heart disease by 1/4.
“The research evidence is very clear. It is best to control “blood pressure at home” below 130/80mm/Hg, especially for people aged 60 to 80 years old!” Dr. Hong Huifeng explained that early studies were based on blood pressure measured in a quiet environment in a hospital. Numerical values are the main focus, while studies such as SPRINT and STEP use home blood pressure values as the benchmark, which is closer to the blood pressure values measured by the general public by themselves. The value of blood pressure at home is becoming more and more important. Blood pressure measured at home in the morning and evening can provide a lot of health information.
People who mistakenly believe internet rumors about high blood pressure become a vegetative state under the age of 60
“Blood pressure ‘will’ increase with age, which does not mean it ‘should’ be made higher and higher!” Dr. Hong Huifeng pointed out that many of the top ten causes of death in Taiwan are related to high blood pressure. Now the research results from both the West and the East are clear It has been shown that lowering blood pressure can help prevent stroke and myocardial infarction. Controlling blood pressure well can also prevent dementia, aortic dissection, and kidney disease.
“The rate of stroke in Taiwan is much higher than in Europe and the United States, and the most important factor affecting stroke is blood pressure.” Dr. Hong Huifeng said that many patients have a myth that it doesn’t matter if their blood pressure rises as they get older. Many people are willing to believe misinformation from relatives and friends on social media rather than believe what doctors say.
Dr. Hong Huifeng emphasized that the “Wu’s Calculation of Systolic Blood Pressure” calculation method circulated on the Internet, or “the United States stipulates that the standard blood pressure for people over 65 years old is 150/90, and for normal people over 80 years old, 160 or even 170 is also acceptable.” There are extremely false and unfounded rumors. Some patients suffered strokes and became vegetative before the age of 60 because they ignored these rumors and neglected blood pressure control, causing great pain to their families and friends.
Taiwanese people love to drink soup and sauce. If high blood pressure is not controlled, it may become a burden to the family.
Dr. Hong Huifeng explained that in addition to age, heredity is also the main factor affecting hypertension. Other lifestyle patterns, such as eating too salty food, drinking too much soup, taking painkillers, lack of sleep or poor sleep quality, especially Taiwanese people who like to add a variety of sauces to their diet, can easily lead to elevated blood pressure.
“Many people ask, can high blood pressure be cured without taking medicine? Just ask your blood pressure monitor!” Dr. Hong Huifeng said that dietary adjustments, weight loss and even lifestyle changes are all possible methods, and the purpose is hope. Let the blood pressure drop below 130/80.
What should you pay attention to when measuring blood pressure? Dr. Hong Huifeng pointed out that the most important blood pressure value every day is within 1 hour of getting up in the morning and within 1 hour before going to bed. It is recommended to adopt the “722” measurement method, taking the average of two measurements every morning and adding the average of the two measurements before going to bed. There will be a gap between the blood pressure values of the left and right hands, and the one with the higher value should be the main one. “Arm-type” blood pressure monitors are more accurate than “wrist-type” blood pressure monitors.
“The most important thing is to take medicine to lower your blood pressure. It is best to control it between 110 and 130!” Dr. Hong Huifeng reminded that eating less salty, quitting smoking, and drinking less alcohol can help control blood pressure. The public is reminded to pay attention to blood pressure control to avoid myocardial infarction and stroke. Once you are bedridden for a long time, it will not only cost your health, but also become a heavy burden on your family and friends.
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