Dr. B M Hegde questions the need to treat blood pressure when there is no fixed definition of what normal blood pressure means.
I have been wondering about what defines normal blood pressure for the last 60 years ever since I joined the MBBS class in 1956. How did they find out the normal level in the first place? My teacher was not able to answer that to my satisfaction although she did not like my interference. Luckily those days the normal levels were much higher than now. I grew up in medicine and at some stage became a member of the International Society of Hypertension and met some of the ‘top’ hypertensionologists to rub shoulders with them on an equal footing. None of them could quench my thirst.
In the meantime I was doing my own research and have published some of them since. I have also written a book on hypertension in 1996 with a foreword by one of the leading lights in the field, Barry Hoffbrand, the then editor of the British Postgraduate Medical Journal. Last month came another thunderbolt of a study proclaiming to the wide world that even ‘normal’ blood pressure needs to be treated with antihypertensive drugs to lower CVS and CNS mortalities and morbidities! On this side of the Atlantic an ethnic Indian researcher was presenting a paper in the European Hypertension Society meeting, another study which shouts at the top voice that a deadly combination of hypertension and depression kills millions in this world due to heart and brain attacks.
Denne historien er fra January 2018-utgaven av Dignity Dialogue.
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Denne historien er fra January 2018-utgaven av Dignity Dialogue.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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I Hope I Never Lose My Voice
Asha Bhosle, the evergreen playback singer who has some of the greatest film hits to her credit, celebrated her 88th birthday in September 2020. But age has never been a determining factor. She continues to do what she loves the most – singing.
Reverse Mortgage: A Boon for Seniors
The thought of being financially independent, not running short of funds in case of medical emergencies and not being a burden on their children accords a lot of mental peace and a restored sense of dignity to the elderly. Dr. Sampath Iyer explains how reverse mortgage makes this possible.
Get Rid of that Bronchial Cough
Symptoms of acute bronchitis usually resolve within one or two weeks with home treatment. You should start to feel noticeably better after a few days. Meanwhile, drink plenty of water and warm liquids and eat healthy foods. The article highlights some of the home remedies that work.
Build Bridges, Not Walls
To be able to live in harmony with each other, we must learn to not just contact but also connect, suggests V Anand Kumar.
Balancing Spirituality and Indulgence
Susanne Kempken, co-founder of The Guided Meditation Site, explains why there is no harm in being indulgent while being spiritual.
Self-Control: The Need of the Hour
‘The Marshmallow Test’ by Walter Mischel is a good book to read for those interested in understanding self-control and learning how to master it. Indira Ananthakrishnan gets into further details of what it means.
Different Kinds of Wills
Wills are an important part of the financial planning process. A will is a legal declaration that spells out a person’s wishes and intentions in matters of care of dependents or inheritance of property after his or her own death. Here is an article on the different types of wills.
Doctor in the Kitchen
Even as we turn to finding a cure for our ailments in our kitchens and gardens, Dr. Sonam Vohra provides an insight into what makes for a home remedy and why caution is required.
Stick to a Healthy Diet
Given the current pandemic there is so much information being shared about what makes for a healthy diet that it can become overwhelming. However, there are just a few simple pointers that you must keep in mind.
Understanding the Corona Virus Vaccine
Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect oneself and others from severe illness or death, especially in the case of the coronavirus. This is in addition to other recommended precautions such as wearing mask, keeping social distance and maintaining a high level of hygiene. K R K Moorthy explains how the vaccine works and the possible side effects.
