One-fourth of the country's population is suffering from hypertension which causes risk to many health complications, including heart attack, cardiomyopathy and stroke due to neurological disorder.
Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle that makes it harder for the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body.
Keeping this in view there is a need for regular blood pressure checkup; especially those who are aged between 3 to 10 years and those who eat sugar should and stop eating raw salt.
Prof Dr Md Sharfuddin Ahmed, Vice-Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), said this at a seminar at the BSMMU on Sunday.
Hypertension is a big burden not only for the people in Bangladesh but across the globe. Treatment of all diseases, including hypertension, begins with diagnosis. Therefore, measurements must be accurate, speakers observed at the seminar.
They said blood pressure must be measured in both arms. If there is any difference of pressure measured between the two arms, then it is prescribed to accept one with higher pressure. When the patient's blood pressure is measured, the patient must sit in relaxation and should sit quietly for five minutes. There are different guidelines for measuring blood pressure around the world, they also said.
However, not all the pressure measuring devices coming in Bangladesh are of the required standard, and the situation is worsening day by day, they cautioned.
The patient should take the prescribed medicine and, in order for this, the supply of government medicines should be made compulsory in all places, health specialists suggested at the seminar.
To prevent hypertension, stop smoking, stop drinking alcohol, and exercise regularly. Also reduce weight, eat less salt in food to prevent heart disease, eat vegetables or fruits every day, use healthy oils in food, eat less red meat, eat less sugar, eat fish and eat foods rich in omega and fatty acids twice a week, according to the health experts at the event, said a BSMMU media release.
Among others, BSMMU Pro-VC (Academic) Dr AKM Mosharraf Hossain and UGC member and cardiologist Prof Dr Sajal Krishna Banerjee also addressed the event.
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