Leading health experts warned on Tuesday that 18 percent of Pakistani youth aged 15 and above are suffering from sedentary lifestyles, obesity, high salt intake, tobacco use, gaming addiction and social media use. Suffering from high blood pressure.
Similarly, about 46 percent of adults aged 18 and older have high blood pressure, increasing the burden of heart disease in the country, a condition health experts say is caused by poor diet, lack of physical activity, etc. Caused by factors. and high stress levels.
“Physical inactivity, consumption of high-sodium junk and processed food, and consumption of nine grams of salt per day in addition to smoking, vaping and chewing tobacco are some of the leading causes of high blood pressure in Pakistani youth these days. Unfortunately, youth And adults don’t even know they have high blood pressure, which is silently damaging their blood vessels and vital organs, including the heart, lungs, kidneys and eyes, leading to death. are going to.” Pakistan Society of Internal Medicine (PSIM), Dr Soumia Iqtar told a news conference in Karachi.
The press conference was held in conjunction with the launch of the Discovering Hypertension Project, a CSR initiative by pharmaceutical firm PharmEvo to screen 1 million people for hypertension at 500 sites across Pakistan by June 30, 2025. In association with five leading medical societies to Country.
Organizers of the Discovering Hypertension project pledged that all those found to be suffering from high blood pressure across Pakistan during this period will be linked to 100 specialized clinics for the management and treatment of this lifestyle disease.
Renowned neurologist and president of the Neurology Awareness and Research Foundation (NARF), Professor Muhammad Wasay said that high blood pressure or high blood pressure is the leading cause of stroke in Pakistan, killing more than 400,000 people annually in the country. He cited air pollution, high per capita oil consumption, tobacco use, high salt consumption and physical inactivity as the main causes of high blood pressure in Pakistan.
Urging the authorities to promote preventive measures, Professor Vasi urged people to eat simple meals with low sodium, walk for at least 40 minutes daily, avoid processed foods and sugary drinks, and not smoke. , encouraged to abstain from vaping and all forms of tobacco use.
“Air pollution is one of the causes of high blood pressure and subsequent heart disease and stroke in Pakistan. Tobacco use among children in the form of vaping and gaming addiction, resulting in physical inactivity, blood pressure There are two main reasons for the increase,” he maintained.
Pakistan Hypertension League (PHL) President Prof. Nawaz Lashari and Pakistan Cardiac Society (PCS) General Secretary Prof. Fawad Farooq attributed the increasing prevalence of high blood pressure to lifestyle choices such as unhealthy diet and Effects of lack of exercise highlighted. related heart diseases. He emphasized that if these lifestyle diseases are not addressed, the mortality and morbidity in Pakistan may increase significantly in the coming years.
Renowned actress and brand ambassador of ‘Discovering High Blood Pressure’ project Amina Sheikh said that she was shocked and horrified to learn about the damage caused by high blood pressure to the human body and vowed to take preventive measures. They will use their influence to promote the measures. The importance of a healthy lifestyle, including physical activity, to lead a disease-free life.
Project Director Discovering High Blood Pressure and Deputy Chief Executive Officer Pharm Evo Syed Jamshed Ahmed said that they have started the project to screen about 1 million people for high blood pressure. In this regard, blood pressure screening facility will be provided at 500 sites across Pakistan.
“And those found to be hypertensive will be linked to 100 clinics across the country for hypertension management and treatment,” Syed Jamshed Ahmed said, adding that this The theme of the project was “Check, Change and Control”.
“We want to create awareness about high blood pressure, educate people at risk of high blood pressure to change their lifestyle, and connect chronic patients with doctors,” he added. So that they can be protected from heart disease, stroke and other diseases.”
Haroon Qasim, managing director Pharm Evo said that they are striving for a healthy society and discovering high blood pressure is part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) for the betterment of society.
Many other health experts including lifestyle medicine expert Dr. Shagufta Feroze and Dr. Masood Javed from Islamabad also spoke. Cardiologists, family physicians, diabetes specialists and a large number of medical students were also present.