High blood pressure is known as one of the major public health concerns affecting the majority of the population across the globe. It has primarily impacted people in low and middle-income countries, where healthcare systems are typically inadequate. High blood pressure is primarily linked to an ageing population, genetic factors, and behavioural risk factors such as eating more salt and fat, being physically inactive, obesity, alcohol and tobacco use, and poor stress management. High blood pressure causes adverse cardiovascular-related events such as heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, disability, and premature death over time.
Hence, there is a need for early diagnosis for screening for high blood pressure, which will eventually help in identifying high-risk groups and implementing timely treatment accordingly. Screening is referred to as the diagnosis of an unknown disease among healthy individuals through various tests and examinations conducted for the identification of those individuals who are at high risk of getting the disease. Early diagnosis of blood pressure is considered important as it helps in reducing the mortality and morbidity rate along with maintaining health-related costs, which may increase due to severe illness or poorly managed comorbidities. Come visit Manipal Hospitals and consult with the Cardiologist in Kolkata regarding diagnosis tests.
Blood pressure screening is considered important as high blood pressure does not show any symptoms and cannot be diagnosed without being measured. The blood pressure test measures the pressure in the arteries as the heart pumps blood. This test is done routinely as a health check-up and screening for high blood pressure.
High blood pressure increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. Hence, the healthcare teams have suggested the importance of undergoing blood pressure screening once every two years during the early period after the age of 20. If the blood pressure is diagnosed to be high, doctors recommend the screening process more often. If the blood pressure is not screened timely, then it may lead to devastating effects with the occurrence of other comorbidities.
Some people use home monitors to monitor their blood pressure at home. Hence, it is considered an important part of general healthcare. The frequency of undergoing appropriate blood pressure monitoring depends upon the age and health condition of the individual. Some of the factors include:
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People belonging to the age group of 18 years and above, having optimal blood pressure and no risk of heart disease, often undergo blood pressure screening at least once every 2–5 years.
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People belonging to the age group of 40 and above, or even younger people having an increased risk of high blood pressure, should undergo blood pressure screening every year.
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People suffering from chronic health conditions should undergo blood pressure tests more often.
Blood pressure screening tends to reduce the burden of disease occurrence. Early screening has helped in increasing the awareness among those individuals who are at risk of developing high blood pressure, which later helps in taking preventive actions or early management of the disease. This will further help in mitigating the economic and social burden of disease occurrence. Visit our Cardiology Hospital in Kolkata for the best screening tests.
Blood pressure screening provides benefits to those individuals who are identified to be hypertensive. Hence, timely treatment is integrated for such individuals, mainly for individuals who have moderate to severe hypertension. This screening is offered to individuals with hypertension as a point-of-care or as an integrated service. Hence, screening of blood pressure is considered to be an effective healthcare service as high blood pressure may result in the development of behavioural and socioeconomic risk factors. Therefore, early diagnosis of blood pressure shows efficacy in providing preventive measures by recommending lifestyle modifications and related medications. Through regular screening of blood pressure, the doctor will be capable of recommending an appropriate management plan and evolving better analysis of the health condition of the individual.
Dr. Prof. Partha Sarathi Banerjee
Consultant - Cardiology
Manipal Hospitals, Salt Lake, Kolkata
