Reduce the risk of cardiovascular events, National Hypertension Day | Control blood pressure and also pay attention to heart rate
Today is National Hypertension Day. The prevalence of hypertension in my country is increasing year by year, and it tends to get younger. According to the "Healthy Life, Ideal Blood Pressure" themed publicity event sponsored by the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, the number of people suffering from hypertension in my country is about 245 million. The prevalence rate is high and the control rate is not high. It is far from the control proposed by "Healthy China 2030" There is still a long way to go to reach the goal of a rate of more than 50%. The prevalence of hypertension among permanent residents aged 18 and above in Shanghai has exceeded 31%, and more than half of the patients with hypertension are still "unconscious" and more than three-quarters of the patients are "not under self-control." Medical experts suggest that dual management of blood pressure and heart rate can effectively control blood pressure and reduce the risk of cardiovascular events.
What is high blood pressure? Experts have made it clear: without the use of antihypertensive drugs, hypertension can be diagnosed if the blood pressure in the office is measured three times on different days and is ≥140/90mmHg. As one of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure can cause damage to target organs such as the heart, brain, and kidneys, and cause coronary heart disease, heart failure, cerebral hemorrhage, renal failure, etc.
The China Chronic Disease and Risk Factor Surveillance Survey shows that in 2018, the awareness rate, treatment rate and control rate of hypertension among adults aged ≥18 years in China were 41.0%, 34.9% and 11.0% respectively. Many young and middle-aged patients do not have any symptoms in the early stages. Not only have their blood pressure never been monitored, they are even unaware of the related cardio-cerebral and renal complications caused by high blood pressure, which may even lead to serious consequences.
It is worth mentioning that patients with high blood pressure are often accompanied by an increased heart rate. The "Heart Rate Map of Hypertensive Patients in China" released in 2017 shows that the proportion of hypertensive patients with a heart rate exceeding 80 beats/min in most provinces and cities in my country is higher than 30%. At present, a large number of basic clinical studies have confirmed that increased heart rate is related to cardiovascular events. Long-term elevated heart rate can further increase blood pressure, impair heart function, and increase the risk of cardiovascular events and death. Increased heart rate can also directly damage arteries, heart and other target organs. Therefore, patients with hypertension need to actively manage their heart rate to achieve both blood pressure and heart rate standards, thereby effectively reducing the risk of cardiovascular events and sudden death.
Professor Wang Jiguang, director of the Shanghai Institute of Hypertension, said that in recent years, many guidelines and consensuses in the medical community have emphasized the importance of dual management of blood pressure and heart rate. The 2020 edition of the International Society of Hypertension Practice Guidelines for Hypertension and the 2023 European Society of Hypertension "Guidelines for the Management of Hypertension" clearly state that increased heart rate is one of the cardiovascular risk factors in patients with hypertension. Generally, the blood pressure of hypertensive patients should be lowered to 2" to avoid serious consequences. Therefore, it is recommended that high-risk groups need regular examinations. Once hypertension is diagnosed, timely and standardized treatment must be followed as prescribed by the doctor.
Experts finally remind: For the management and control of hypertension, resting heart rate has important reference value. If the heart rate is fast, you should choose drugs that have the dual functions of lowering blood pressure and controlling heart rate to effectively control blood pressure, slow down the accelerated heart rate, and reduce the risk of serious events such as sudden death and myocardial infarction. Hypertension management requires long-term persistence, and medication cannot be reduced or discontinued at will; daily meals should be reasonable, regular exercise should be carried out, and good habits should be developed. If combined with diabetes and dyslipidemia, it is also necessary to achieve "three highs" of hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia.
Today's event invites cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease clinical experts from Ruijin Hospital, Shuguang Hospital, Ninth People's Hospital and other medical institutions to conduct free consultations. The site also provided free standardized blood pressure, body fat, portable carotid artery ultrasound and other measurements, distributed promotional materials related to hypertension prevention and treatment, and set up a knowledge challenge wall for interactive question-answering. During the activity week, various districts will hold various publicity activities on hypertension prevention and treatment.
