Increasing Incidence of Hypertension in Females

Hypertension is also known as high blood pressure. It causes severe health complications such as cardiovascular diseases and stroke. It often leads to death. Hypertension is the major cause of cardiovascular associated morbidity and mortality. The major cause of hypertension includes:

  • Being overweight.
  • Increased alcohol consumption.
  • Smoking.
  • Increased stress.
  • Genetics/hereditary.
  • Increased salt intake.
  • Lack of physical activity.
  • Old age.
  • Sleep apnea.
  • Thyroid disturbance
  • Pregnancy associated issues

In the current age, the prevalence of hypertension is increasing in both males and females. The National Health Survey of Pakistan (NHSP) indicated that 18.9% of Pakistani population of the age of 15 and older are hypertensive. In Pakistan, the prevalence of hypertension in females is greater than males. A major cause of female hypertension is pregnancy, pre-natal, and post-natal conditions. Females increase body mass index (BMI) and their unfit lifestyle is also a contributing factor in hypertension.

Research

The incidence of hypertension in both males and females were studied in patients coming to the medical center of OGDCL Islamabad. Patients were selected between the ages of 45 and 60 years. Hypertensive patients were 320 and among these 320 hypertensive patients 176 were women; while male were144. Females already on antihypertensive drugs were 80 and 192 males were already on antihypertensive drugs. 208 women were obese [BMI above 30] and 32 were overweight [BMI above 25]. 48 males were obese while 16 were overweight. In women the upper body type obesity was found in 192 patients; while in males upper body type obesity was in 32 patients. The cases excluded from the study were diabetics, patients with secondary hypertension, patients with proteinuria, polycystic renal disease, patients with IHD, stroke and MI.

Our research on Hypertension concluded that it has become one of the major health issues for both men and women; but there is an increasing incidence of hypertension in women. Women are at high risk to die from hypertension related cardiovascular diseases, yet less attention are paid to hypertension related problems in women (13). One of the factors responsible for increasing incidence of hypertension is change in life style that includes lack of exercise and unhealthy diet (16) and the other factor is stress.

In OGDCL medical center patients coming to OPD belong to different class but mostly they are financially sound; medical treatment is free but there is lack of awareness regarding their health. The most important solution to these problems is health education and counseling about their life style, and the importance of treatment. Obesity is becoming more common especially among women. We need to have health awareness programs for prevention and regular medical checkups to diagnose the cases in the early stages and then providing prompt treatment. Patients should be counseled regarding the importance of regular treatment to improve the compliance, and those at risk to change their life style for the prevention of disease.

“Research by Dr. Nasira Tajamal”