Hypertension no longer an old-age disease, youngsters also at risk: Doctor

Hypertension, once considered a disease mainly associated with old age, is increasingly emerging as a major health threat among youngsters, with doctors warning that stress driven lifestyles, obesity and lack of routine health screening are fuelling a silent rise in cases.

Talking about the growing trend, Dr Abhinav Shoor, MD, Consultant Internal Medicine and DNB Faculty at Civil Hospital Jalandhar, said hypertension often referred to as the "silent killer" is defined as persistently elevated blood pressure of 130/80 mm of Hg or above.

The condition is increasingly being detected among younger adults, with doctors now witnessing a growing number of patients in their 20s and 30s being diagnosed with high blood pressure, a trend that was relatively uncommon a decade ago, he added.

He attributed the rise in younger patients to sedentary routines, prolonged screen time, poor sleep, smoking, junk food consumption and increasing stress levels.

"Many people assume hypertension affects only elderly individuals, but we are now seeing office workers, students and even young adults with obesity or metabolic syndrome developing high blood pressure at an early age," he said.

While most patients may not experience symptoms initially, some complain of headaches, dizziness, fatigue, blurred vision, palpitations and shortness of breath. In severe and uncontrolled cases, hypertension can lead to stroke, kidney failure, heart disease and even heart failure. Dr Shoor also expressed concern over the increasing link between hypertension and metabolic disorders such as obesity, diabetes, fatty liver and high cholesterol, which together significantly raise the risk of cardiovascular complications.

According to him, nearly 25 to 35 per cent of Indian adults are estimated to suffer from hypertension, but a large number remain undiagnosed because they never undergo regular blood pressure checks. He said the condition frequently develops without noticeable symptoms, silently damaging the heart, kidneys, brain and blood vessels over the years.

To strengthen early detection, Civil Hospital Jalandhar is running a dedicated Non Communicable Disease (NCD) programme under which patients are screened through blood pressure and Random Blood Sugar testing. A separate NCD counter and dedicated team have also been deployed for screening and follow up care. Dr Shoor said lifestyle changes remain the first line of prevention and advised people to reduce salt intake, maintain a healthy weight, exercise regularly, quit smoking and avoid excessive stress and processed food consumption.