World Health Day 2013 was celebrated around the world including Pakistan on Sunday with the theme “High Blood Pressure”, in order to create awareness about the leading cause for fatal diseases today.
President Asif Ali Zardari in his message on the occasion urged the health care providers, non-governmental organizations and philanthropists to re-double their efforts to alleviate the sufferings of ailing patients. He said the government will continue to cater to the health needs of the people and join the international community in raising awareness about the health challenges faced.
The theme for World Health Day in 2013 is high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. It increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure and can even cause blindness. High blood pressure is nonetheless preventable, and can be avoided by reducing salt intake, eating a balanced diet, avoiding the use of alcohol, taking regular physical exercise, maintaining a healthy body weight and avoiding tobacco use.
On this occasion, ShifaInternationalHospital also organized a hiking trip on Trail 3. Many doctors, citizens and their families participated enthusiastically in this activity to promote a healthy lifestyle among the masses.
Consultant Medical Specialist at Shifa International Hospital Dr Shahzad Siddique explained that high blood pressure is considered as the “silent killer”. The risk of developing various complications due to high blood pressure is higher in the presence of other cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes. One in three adults worldwide has high blood pressure. The proportion increases with age, from 1 in 10 people in their 20s and 30s to 5 in 10 people in their 50s. However, high blood pressure is both preventable and treatable. In some developed countries, prevention and treatment of the condition, together with other cardiovascular risk factors, has brought about a reduction in deaths from heart disease, he added.
