Never forget that hypertension is serious enough to kill. Keeping follow up appointments, taking your medication etc need to continue even after your symptoms (if any) resolve. Hypertension is the silent killer. Just because your symptoms have gone does not mean that your blood pressure is normal. Keep checking. Keep complying with treatment protocols.
Getting your blood pressure under control begins with measuring and adhering to medical advice. While medication can be lifelong, doctors measure successful treatment through various other means. Simply taking your medication consistently can count as successful care! These are the results from a study by CAG which examined doctors' perspectives on treating hypertension. 25 doctors from a cross section of specialities were surveyed.
Lifestyle modifications (eating healthy, exercising enough, getting enough sleep, quitting smoking etc) are simple ways to care for your heart. In fact, this is the treatment regimen that most doctors begin with. A study by CAG examined doctors' perspectives on treating hypertension. 25 doctors from a cross section of specialities were surveyed and these were our findings.
High blood pressure is the leading cause of strokes. The higher your pressure, the higher your risk. Sometimes, small microbleeds are the result of ruptured vessels. While individually, these might not cause major deficits, a series of microbleeds can result in speech loss, vision loss, tinnitus, vertigo and paralysis. Keeping your blood pressure under control is the only way of reducing these risks. #KnowYourNumbers #BeatThePressure
Following our study on patient perspectives on access to hypertension care through PHCs in Tiruvannamalai, this study looks at doctors' perspectives in treating hypertension. The study examines responses from 25 doctors from a cross section of specialties, looking at diagnoses protocols, patient compliance, reported affordability of treatment etc.
Most people with high blood pressure do not have symptoms. Early kidney disease also may not have symptoms. It is important that you get your blood pressure checked routinely, even if you feel well and healthy. #KnowYourNumbers #BeatThePressure
A large number of genetic, hormonal, metabolic, neurological, psychological, and lifestyle factors determine your blood pressure. Because these influences are so numerous and complex, checking it regularly and controlling it, is the only way to minimise the known risks of hypertension. The damaging effects of hypertension typically begin with damage to your blood vessels. #KnowYourNumbers #BeatThePressure
In this episode, we discuss findings from our report 'Voices from the Last Mile' where we documented personal narratives of people living with hypertension. Subramani, researcher from CAG, explains the experiences of hypertensive patients, particularly those from the low-income communities in Tiruvannamalai.
We found that in Tiruvannamalai, poor public transportation facilities influence patient accessibility to Primary Health Centres. Many rely on public transport. Inaccessible sites might force patients to use private transportation, for at least part of the journey. Providing free medical treatment and medications while patients incur substantial transportation costs is counterproductive.
An important concern highlighted during our survey on hypertension services offered by Primary Health Centres in Tiruvannamalai pertained to medicine packaging. Similar looking medication confuses patients - especially those with low literacy levels. It's crucial for authorities to implement measures that ensure patients identify the correct medications for their specific treatments. Skipping a prescribed drug or taking the wrong one can lead to serious complications.