[Kok! Health] May 17 'World Hypertension Day'... Don't Be Complacent Just Because You're Young

On the 17th, the World Hypertension League (WHL) has designated it as "World Hypertension Day." Hypertension is considered a dangerous disease, ranked as the number one risk factor for death by the World Health Organization (WHO). It is a common disease in Korea as well, with one in three adults aged 20 and over being patients. Moreover, as the number of patients increases every year, the number of young patients in their 20s and 30s has also risen significantly, making it a disease that cannot be taken lightly even at a young age.

[Image provided by Himchan Hospital]

According to the National Interest Disease Statistics from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service on the 14th, about 7.01 million patients visited hospitals for hypertension in 2021, a 16.5% increase from about 6.02 million in 2017. In particular, the increase rates for those in their 20s and 30s were 44.4% and 26.6%, respectively, which is a much larger increase than the average. On the other hand, the awareness rate of the disease among these age groups is significantly low. According to the "Hypertension Fact Sheet 2022" by the Korean Society of Hypertension, the disease awareness rate among hypertensive patients in their 20s and 30s was 19%, which is much lower compared to the overall awareness rate of 69.5% for those aged 20 and above.

Dr. Kim Yumi, an endocrinologist at Incheon Himchan General Hospital, said, "Younger people tend to have less interest in chronic diseases such as hypertension and are less proactive about treatment. Since half of hypertensive patients do not recognize their symptoms, it is necessary to measure blood pressure regularly for early and accurate diagnosis."

Recently, obesity and stress have been cited as causes for the increase in hypertension. Obesity increases insulin concentration in the blood, and stress activates the sympathetic nervous system, causing blood vessels to constrict, which hinders smooth blood flow and raises blood pressure.

A bigger problem is that as the number of hypertensive patients increases, the prevalence of complications such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases is also rising. The number of cardiovascular disease patients in their 20s and 30s increased by 39.7%, and cerebrovascular diseases by 23.1% compared to 2017. These figures are also higher than the average increase rate. Hypertension can cause heart failure, angina, myocardial infarction, and heart attacks by thickening the heart walls and enlarging the heart. It can also cause strokes, which occur when cerebral blood vessels rupture or become blocked. Since elevated blood pressure increases the risk of death from various complications, early detection and management are crucial.

The diagnostic criteria for hypertension in Korea are a systolic blood pressure of 140 mmHg or higher and a diastolic blood pressure of 90 mmHg or higher. Once diagnosed with hypertension, a comprehensive evaluation of cardiovascular risk is conducted, considering factors such as history of cardiovascular disease, asymptomatic organ damage, weight, alcohol consumption, and smoking status. Based on this, if the patient is classified as low risk, active lifestyle modifications are implemented, and medication is administered according to blood pressure status. Above all, improving lifestyle habits such as diet, exercise, smoking cessation, and moderation of alcohol intake is necessary.

Some young patients often avoid medication, thinking they can manage without it, or due to misunderstandings such as blood pressure medicine being addictive, or the burden of having to take medicine for life, which often leads to worsening conditions. However, blood pressure medications are not addictive, so there is no need to worry about that. Also, if direct causes such as obesity, medication, or alcohol consumption improve and blood pressure is controlled or managed through lifestyle changes, medication can be reduced or discontinued. However, this should be decided in consultation with the primary care physician, and blood pressure monitoring must be thorough after reducing or stopping medication.

Dr. Kim Yumi said, "Even if you are young, if you belong to a high-risk group for cardiovascular disease and hypertension, you need to measure your blood pressure more frequently and lower and maintain your target blood pressure to 130 mmHg." She also added, "Regular exercise, reducing intake of greasy foods and carbohydrates, and adopting a low-sodium, vegetable-centered diet are helpful. Especially if you have a family history of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases or risk factors such as smoking, obesity, or hyperlipidemia, you should pay more attention to maintaining a healthy lifestyle."