Indian Express
18 May 2010
Ludhiana, India

THE World Hypertension Day was celebrated by different hospitals today. SPS Apollo Hospitals organised a seminar. Dr Gurpreet Singh, senior consultant endocrinologist, said obesity was now the world’s worst nutritional problem, causing more ill–health and deaths than impoverishment and infectious diseases.

The theme of World Hypertension Day 2010 was Healthy weight, healthy blood pressure. According to Dr R P Singh, senior consultant cardiologist, hypertension kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year. Over one billion people in the world are overweight, with at least 300 million of them obese and each a potential candidate for hypertension.

Dr Ramanbeer Singh, senior consultant endocrinologist urged each individual to monitor one’s weight and BP. At Sibia Medical Centre, people were educated about blood pressure and its relationship with heart disease and diabetes. Specially prepared movies, posters and pamphlets were used to convey good health message to people attending the free blood pressure check–up camp.

The importance of stressfree lifestyle, regular exercise and balanced diet was discussed. On the occasion, Dr Sibia, director and consultant, Sibia Medical Centre, said the centre would hold special weekend group classes to teach meditation, relaxation techniques and stress management methods to help minimise the need of medicines.

In this regard, based on yogic breathing techniques, a CD has also been prepared by the centre. It will soon be available on the website www.noheartsurgery.com. A free heart and health check–up camp was held at Kulwant Heart and Vascular Centre.

Over 150 patients were examined, tested and given free medicines.

Dr Kulwant Singh, senior consultant cardiologist, said patients with high blood pressure may have headache, dizziness, palpitation, bleeding from nose, pain in chest and so on.