The 8th is National Hypertension Day. In many people's minds, "dizziness" and "headache" are symptoms of high blood pressure, but in fact high blood pressure is a "silent killer" and its damage often occurs quietly before obvious symptoms appear. How to prevent and intervene in high blood pressure scientifically?
The latest epidemiological survey data shows that the prevalence of hypertension among adults aged 18 and above in my country is as high as 31.6%, which is equivalent to 1 in every 3 adults suffering from the disease. At the same time, more than half of patients know nothing about their condition. Long-term uncontrolled high blood pressure will increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and other diseases.
Some people think that hypertension is a disease of the elderly, and as long as you are young, you are not at risk of the disease. However, in fact, hypertension in our country is showing an obvious trend among younger people. Experts say that factors such as staying up late, sitting for long periods of time, eating high-salt and high-fat diets, and having high pressure in life are constantly lowering the "age line" for the onset of hypertension. Wang Zengwu, chief physician of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Fuwai Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, said that among young and middle-aged people aged 20 to 59, the prevalence of hypertension is on the rise. Hypertension may not have obvious symptoms in young people, but it is an important risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Young people should measure their blood pressure regularly. If their blood pressure is abnormal, they should seek medical treatment promptly and receive necessary treatment according to the doctor's advice. These measures can effectively reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and protect heart and blood vessel health.
Early detection, early intervention
Please keep these common sense of pressure control in mind
The sooner you "see" changes in blood pressure, the better your chance of preventing damage. Especially for people with a genetic family history, they should pay more attention to changes in blood pressure. Clinical data shows that about 60% of patients with hypertension have a family history of hypertension. If both parents develop hypertension before the age of 55, their children's risk of developing hypertension may more than double. Gao Huawei, chief physician of the Cardiovascular Surgery Department of Fuwai Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, reminded that relevant high-risk groups should have regular blood pressure measurements and long-term monitoring.
Gao Huawei: People with a family history of hereditary disease are recommended to measure their blood pressure at least 2 to 3 times a year starting from the age of 30. If possible, they can bring their own home sphygmomanometer and monitor 1 to 2 times a month. People who are overweight or obese, drink alcohol for a long time, are nervous, or stay up late at night should also have their blood pressure measured every six months. There are also people with other chronic diseases, such as patients with diabetes, patients with high blood lipids, and patients with chronic kidney disease, who also need to monitor their blood pressure regularly. Usually reexamination every 3 to 6 months. As age increases, blood vessels harden, elasticity decreases, and the prevalence of hypertension increases significantly. For people over 40 years old, it is recommended to measure blood pressure at least 2 to 4 times a year.
Maintaining good living habits can prevent and delay the onset of hypertension. Gao Huawei recommends that the daily salt intake should be less than 5 grams. Particular attention needs to be paid to foods such as soy sauce, pickles, sausages, and cured meats, which contain high salt content. These must also be taken into account; control fat intake; for overweight or obese people, losing weight is very important. For every 10 kilograms of weight lost, systolic blood pressure, that is, high pressure, may decrease by 5 to 10 mmHg. In addition, increase exercise, such as brisk walking, swimming, and cycling, which are all good aerobic exercises. Getting enough sleep is also very beneficial for blood pressure control.
Grassroots high blood pressure prevention and control network
Build a solid line of defense for chronic disease management
In recent years, my country has continued to build a full-chain prevention and control system of prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation, incorporating standardized management of hypertension into basic public health services. Primary medical and health institutions have regularly carried out screening of high-risk groups for cardiovascular diseases, effectively opening up the "last mile" of related chronic disease management.
At the Xidu Community Health Service Center in Fengxian District, Shanghai, residents need to be screened for blood pressure, blood lipids and other indicators during every physical examination. In particular, people with chronic diseases such as hypertension and hyperlipidemia need to return to the community for regular follow-up visits and continue to manage the disease. Yu Ying, deputy director of the Xidu Community Health Center in Fengxian, Shanghai, said that by moving the focus of disease management forward, early detection, early diagnosis, and early intervention of diseases such as hypertension can be effectively achieved.
In September 2025, the National Health Commission issued the "Standards for the Prevention and Treatment of Hypertension in Primary Medical and Health Institutions", which was officially implemented on March 1 this year. It clearly provides standardized guidance on equipment configuration, drug guarantee, management processes and technical points for the prevention and management of hypertension in primary medical and health institutions. Gao Huawei, chief physician of the Cardiovascular Surgery Department of Fuwai Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, believes that the implementation of relevant standards has improved the level of continuous management of hypertension in grassroots institutions.
Beware of blood pressure fluctuations in autumn and winter
Recently, the temperature has generally dropped across the country and the temperature difference between day and night has widened. People with hypertension are prone to blood pressure fluctuations. How to respond correctly?
In late autumn, the significantly lower temperature will cause peripheral vasoconstriction, which is an important cause of blood pressure fluctuations in people with hypertension. Especially for some patients who need to adjust their medications due to lower blood pressure levels in summer, they should monitor their blood pressure in a timely manner and consider going to the hospital for evaluation by a doctor before adjusting their medication regimen. Qi Haimei, chief physician of the Department of Geriatric Medicine at Beijing Hospital, reminded that the key to blood pressure control in autumn and winter is "stability". Patients should not adjust their medication on their own to avoid large fluctuations in blood pressure.
Autumn is also the season when grapefruit is on the market. For people who have been taking antihypertensive drugs for a long time, the furanocoumarins contained in grapefruit will inhibit the activity of liver metabolizing enzymes, affect drug metabolism, and may cause abnormal increases in blood drug concentrations in patients. Pan Zhiran, the pharmacist in charge of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, reminded that grapefruit and other fruits containing high levels of this ingredient should be eaten with caution by people taking medication for high blood pressure.
Producer丨Fan Xinzheng
Reporters丨Du Ximeng, Wang Dianjia, Li Fuhai
