If you are 18, you may have hypertension!

It may be shocking for many that the disease, which is often mistakenly associated with old age, can attack the young, hearty and hale.

Add that to the statistics released by the Health Ministry last month that at least one in three Malaysians above 18 are believed to have high blood pressure, it would only be foolish to think of the disease to be linked to old age.

Sime Darby Healthcare senior dietician Nurul Aziah Musa said the initial high risk group for the disease which is also known as hypertension, was over 35 years old.

However, Nurul Aziah said the disease is affecting younger people nowadays solely because of the unhealthy lifestyle that they lead.

“According to the National Health Mobility Survey (NHMS) which is conducted every five years, about 32.73 per cent of Malaysians aged 18 and above are believed to be suffering from the disease.

“Once you are diagnosed with hypertension, don’t take it lightly as failure to treat it will lead to other complications such as heart attack, stroke and renal failure,” she warned.

Unfortunately, Nurul Aziah stressed that high blood pressure is a silent killer.

“For many, the disease comes unannounced as there are no symptoms of it inhibiting your body. For some, the symptoms may include headaches, blurry vision, chest pains, and rapid heartbeats.

“The only sure fire way to determine whether you are a possible victim of the disease is to go to the nearest clinic or hospital for a blood pressure test. Even if you are not suffering from the disease, it is advisable to do regular screening to monitor your blood pressure level.

“Alternatively, one can always purchase a portable blood pressure machine for easy checkups at home,” she said.

Nurul Aziah said among the five modifiable risk factors to prevent hypertension is to reduce sodium intake.