Experts show how to control the disease that 15% of elderly people in Ho Chi Minh City suffer from

Recently, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health has issued a plan to implement annual health check-ups for people aged 60 and over, regardless of permanent or temporary residence.

The purpose of this is to ensure that each elderly person is examined and screened for non-communicable diseases annually. This helps to promptly detect and manage treatment of non-communicable diseases, create electronic health records...

Previously, this program was implemented from 2023. After two years, the city has recorded more than 526,000 people aged 60 and over, detecting more than 49,000 cases of high blood pressure (15%) and nearly 26,400 cases of suspected diabetes (8%).

Experts show how to control the disease that 15% of elderly people in Ho Chi Minh City suffer from - 1

Elderly people have their blood pressure measured during a medical examination program at a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: BVTN).

High blood pressure is quietly creeping into the lives of millions of Vietnamese people, becoming one of the leading causes of dangerous health complications.

The disease has no warning signs.

According to the National Survey on Risk Factors of Non-Communicable Diseases in Vietnam (STEPS) in 2021 by the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization, an estimated 20.2 million Vietnamese adults have high blood pressure, accounting for 26.2% of the population. Of these, about 60% have not been detected and nearly 70% have not been treated.

High blood pressure (hypertension) is a condition in which the pressure of blood against the artery walls is higher than normal.

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control, high blood pressure is known as the "silent killer". The most dangerous thing about this disease is that there are no specific signs until it has progressed seriously, leading to many people not being detected and diagnosed in time.

In the late stages, high blood pressure can cause dangerous complications such as stroke, cerebrovascular accident, heart failure, myocardial infarction, kidney failure, retinal hemorrhage... and is the leading cause of premature death worldwide.

Three pillars of blood pressure control

According to Master, Doctor Bui Van Truong, Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control, the only way to control blood pressure is to eat healthily, exercise regularly and control blood pressure regularly.

Eat healthy

An unhealthy diet is one of the silent culprits leading to high blood pressure, in which salt (sodium) is the main factor. When too much salt is consumed, the body retains water, increasing blood volume and pressure on the blood vessel walls.

In addition, saturated fat often found in fried foods and fast foods also increases bad cholesterol (LDL), promotes atherosclerosis, and directly affects the heart.

In addition, a diet low in fruits and vegetables can cause the body to lack potassium and minerals, making blood vessels less elastic and more susceptible to increased pressure.

The 2021 STEPS survey results show that adults aged 18-69 are consuming an average of 8.1g of salt per day, higher than the WHO recommendation of less than 5g/day.

At the same time, the average daily intake of vegetables and fruits in men is 4.54 servings, women consume 4.87 servings while it is recommended to eat at least 5 servings (equivalent to 400g/day).

Therefore, Dr. Truong recommends that everyone should proactively reduce the amount of salt in cooking and eating (reduce fish sauce, seasoning powder, limit pickled foods...); read food labels carefully, limit products containing more than 1g of salt/100g; increase green vegetables, fresh fruits and apply healthy cooking methods such as steaming and boiling instead of frying.

Exercise regularly

Exercise not only keeps you healthy but is also an effective way to prevent and control high blood pressure. When you exercise, your heart works more efficiently, reducing peripheral resistance and thereby helping to lower blood pressure. In addition, exercise also improves sleep, reduces stress, and controls weight and blood lipids.

According to a 2019 study, people who do regular aerobic exercise can reduce their systolic blood pressure by an average of 5-8 mmHg, equivalent to the effect of some drugs to treat mild hypertension.

In addition, the World Health Organization also recommends that adults should maintain at least 150 minutes per week of moderate physical activity such as brisk walking, cycling, gardening, house cleaning, etc. to maintain long-term health.

Besides exercise and diet, people should also avoid using stimulants and limit stress that leads to high blood pressure.

Regular blood pressure control

"The worrying thing is that high blood pressure often has no obvious symptoms. Many people only discover the disease when they have dangerous complications such as stroke or kidney failure," Dr. Truong emphasized.

Therefore, regular blood pressure monitoring is very necessary. People aged 40 and over should measure their blood pressure at least every 6 months. Measuring yourself at home with an electronic monitor in the morning, after resting, will give relatively accurate results.

Normal blood pressure is below 140/90 mmHg. If the measured index is greater than or equal to this threshold, the patient should go to a medical facility for examination and consultation.

People diagnosed with high blood pressure need to take medication regularly as prescribed, not stop taking medication on their own, maintain a healthy lifestyle and have regular check-ups.

According to the Plan to implement health check-ups and early detection of non-communicable diseases in the elderly in Ho Chi Minh City by the end of 2025, the Department of Health aims to ensure that every elderly person in the area receives a periodic health check-up once a year.

It is estimated that approximately 160,000 cases of hypertension and 91,000 cases of suspected diabetes were detected early, equivalent to 15% and 8% of the elderly, respectively. Over 95% of the elderly who were diagnosed with non-communicable diseases were transferred to the management, monitoring and treatment program at medical examination and treatment facilities.

In addition, the Department also ensures that 100% of examination and screening data is fully and promptly entered into the city's public health management system.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/suc-khoe/chuyen-gia-chi-cach-kiem-soat-can-benh-15-nguoi-gia-o-tphcm-mac-phai-20250916152014917.htm