Hypertension among millennials is a growing concern

If you are under the impression that you are still young and hypertension is implausible, think again.

Former Mahsa University Professor of Community Health, Prof Dr Hematram Yadav defined hypertension, or elevated blood pressure, as a serious medical condition that significantly increases the risk of heart, brain, kidney, and other diseases.

He said global statistics show that one in eight adults between 20 and 40 is known to have hypertension and it is likely to increase due to the lifestyle habits among the millennials.

It’s worth noting that millennials are those born from 1981 to 1996, or those aged from 26 to 41 this year.

In the United States, hypertension among males is 1.25 times higher than among females.

In Malaysia, he agreed that the modern lifestyle of eating processed food, stress, and traffic jams do contribute to this increase in hypertension among millennials.

For that matter, other risk factors include high salt intake, obesity, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and an unhealthy diet.

According to Dr Yadav, there is a reason why hypertension is called a "silent killer".

He said most people with hypertension are unaware of the problem since some may have no warning signs or symptoms.

“But when symptoms do occur, they can include early morning headaches, nosebleeds, irregular heart rhythms, vision changes, and buzzing in the ears.

“Severe hypertension can cause fatigue, nausea, vomiting, confusion, anxiety, chest pain, and muscle tremors,” he told Sinar Daily.

Now, what are the impacts of hypertension in the long run? He said it can cause serious damage to the heart because excessive pressure can harden arteries, decreasing the flow of blood and oxygen to the heart.

In that case, that will lead to another set of health problems such as chest pain, heart attack, heart failure, and irregular heartbeat which can cause sudden death as well as causing kidney failure.

It doesn't stop there. Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy Chief Executive Officer Azrul Mohd Khalib said those with hypertension are at the risk of having strokes.

“Uncontrolled hypertension can lead to disability, poor quality of life, or even a fatal heart attack or stroke.

“Stroke has traditionally been considered an older person's disease commonly seen afflicting those above the age of 65.

"However, today, one-fourth of all strokes occur among those less than 65 and one out of ten among those less than 50,” he said.

He also explained that in Malaysia, there has been an increase in stroke incidence in those under the age of 65, where the largest have been 50.4 per cent and 53.3 per cent in women and men respectively in the age group of 35 to 39 years.

This is considered as a "young stroke" and someone as young as 19 years old can also suffer from a stroke, as seen in the recent death of a Sarawakian athlete due to a medical condition.

Did you know that hypertension could also be hereditary?

“It can be hereditary. Hypertension tends to run in families.

“Individuals whose parents have hypertension have an elevated risk of developing the condition, particularly if both parents are affected,” Azrul said.

Hypertension can radically affect a person's mental health.

Reed Psychology Centre Clinical Psychologist Janice Yee shared that reaction to stress itself (in an unhealthy way) may affect the blood pressure or increase the risk of hypertension and might lead to heart attacks and strokes.

“Studies showed that our body produces a surge of hormones when we are in a stressful situation.

“These hormones will increase our blood pressure, temporarily, by causing our heart to beat faster and blood vessels to narrow.

“Most of the studies reported that patients with chronic conditions like hypertension may experience many negative emotions which increase their risk for development of mental health disorders, particularly anxiety and depression,” she said.

This proves that hypertension and stress are related. She said avoiding or learning to manage stress can help a person control their blood pressure and this is also why it is important to manage stress in a healthy way.

This raises another question for millennials - is therapy necessary for those with hypertension and how does it help? Janice said a professional therapist would help them to look into the underlying issues, such as determining the risk factor of hypertension and help them cope with it in a healthier way.

She said therapy does not only help the patients but also their caretakers who might suffer burnout from taking care of them.

However, she said therapy is not the cure for hypertension since it only helps them to learn the skills of coping with their stress healthily in order to reduce their stress which might worsen into anxiety or depression.

Simply seeing a therapist or asking for help does not mean that the problem is solved and there is no more stress or problem in their life, and those with hypertension still need to seek a medical doctor or control the condition with medication.

As a psychologist, she recommended millennials seek a doctor and use specific medications to treat hypertension.

Not only that, since learning to manage stress can help a person control their blood pressure, she said it is good for them to learn some relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, and progressive muscle relaxation.

Should public awareness on this matter be increased in order for the millennials to detect and handle hypertension earlier? That is a big resounding yes, according to the health experts.

Dr Yadav is of the view that efforts regarding lifestyle modification and education could be important for hypertension management and prevention among millennials.

He said bigger awareness, however, is needed among the millennials and that they should check their blood pressure reading regularly.

“The only way to detect hypertension is to have a health professional measure your blood pressure.

“Having blood pressure measured is quick and painless. “Although individuals can measure their own blood pressure using automated devices, an evaluation by a health professional is important for assessment of risk and associated conditions,” he suggested.

Meanwhile, Azrul said effective prevention for hypertension depends on the heightened awareness of symptoms and risk factors the public has in regards to this disease.

He said the reality is that those who are below 50 often feel that they are not at risk of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and least of all, stroke, and this needs to change.

He also recommended people learn about this disease and diet change can make a difference.

“Learn about hypertension. No one is too young to be afflicted with the condition.

“Simple changes in diet can help prevent and manage hypertension.

“The earlier you start, the easier it becomes later on,” he added.