Doctors wage war on salt to curb hypertension cases

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Society of Hypertension (PSH) and the Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) are waging a war on salt to bring down the rising cases of hypertension in the country.

PSH president Romeo Divinagracia said hypertension is among the leading killers of Filipinos because of lack of physical activity, poor diet and cigarette smoking.

He said the prevalence rate of hypertension among 18 years old and above has been steadily rising from 21 percent in 2007 to 25 percent in 2008 and 28 percent in 2012-2013.

“Ninety-five percent of hypertension is for life. It cannot be cured; it can be controlled with lifestyle change and adherence to medication. It is important to check our blood pressure regularly,” he said. 

Divinagracia underscored the need for Filipinos to cut down on their intake of salt.  

“Reduce salt or sodium in the diet to about 2.3 grams a day. But the problem is salt has become a normal part of our nutrition. Many of us could not eat if the food is not salty,” he said in a forum commemorating the National Hypertension Awareness Month this May and the World Hypertension Day on May 17.

He added it is imperative to manage hypertension because it could lead to atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries, abnormal lipids, diabetes and obesity.

Hypertension is the term used to describe high blood pressure, a measurement of the force against the walls of the arteries when the heart pumps blood through the body. 

According to a PSH fact sheet, high blood pressure occurs when the blood pressure is consistently equal to or higher than 140/90 mmHg.  

For most patients with uncomplicated hypertension, keeping blood pressure lower than 140/90 mmHg reduces cardiovascular diseases.

“In high-risk patients with diabetes, previous heart attack or stroke, chronic kidney disease and multiple risk factors, the blood pressure should be ideally less than 130/80mg,” Divinagracia said.

PSH treasurer Leilani Mercado-Asis said lifestyle changes are especially important for those who have risk factors that “cannot be changed — so-called non-modifiable risk factors, including family history, fender, race or age.”

“There's nothing that can be done about these non-modifiable risk factors but one can influence his other risk factors to prevent hypertension and metabolic disorders such as diabetes and hypercholeresterolemia,” Asis said.