Jakarta, IO – Do you like salty foods? Please be careful and moderate your salt intake, as excessive salt consumption is known to trigger hypertension (high blood pressure). It remains a major health issue in Indonesia, as the primary cause of bleeding stroke, coronary attack, and chronic kidney failure. According to the Ministry of Health’s Baseline Health Research, 2013 hypertension prevalence of 25.8% has increased to 34.11% in 2018.
Hypertension is diagnosed when blood pressure is measured at a level of > 140/90 mmHg in two separate measurements, performed using validated blood pressure measuring devices, in a reputable clinic or first-level health facility.
“Hypertension is responsible for the high expenditure relating to incommunicable diseases in Indonesia. Therefore, please perform annual health checkups when your latest blood pressure measurement is 130-139/85-89 mmHg (high normal), and more frequently if your measurement is 140/90 mmHg (hypertension). A blood pressure measurement of 130-139/85-89 mmHg has a 40% risk of escalating into hypertension within two years, while a blood pressure level of 140/90 mmHg or higher requires medication to prevent complications,” explained dr. Erwinanto, Sp.JP(K), FIHA, Chairman of the Indonesian Society of Hypertension (InaSH), in the “Hypertension Prevention and Treatment Procedures in Indonesia: Are We Ready?” media meet held during the 17th InaSH Scientific Meeting, Friday (24/02/2023).
During the same event, dr. Djoko Wibisono, Sp.PD-KGH, General Secretary of the InaSH, explained that hypertension is divided into two types, according to their causes, i.e. primary (essential) and secondary. “Hypertension is a silent killer because it does not show many symptoms before it becomes fatal. Primary hypertension, which makes up 90%-95% of the disease’s incidence, generally have unknown causes. Secondary hypertension, which makes up the remaining 5%-10% of incidence, is related to kidney and blood vessel problems, as well problems with the thyroid or adrenal glands, or as a side effect of consuming certain drugs. Primary hypertension generally shows no clinical symptoms. These symptoms usually only appear after complications set it. Therefore, please be wary when you suffer from headaches or dizziness, get tired easily when engaged in physical activities, chest pains, anxiety, blurred eyesight, or even nose bleeding and loss of consciousness,” he warns.