Hypertension is on the rise and is the leading cause of sudden death among current diseases. Hypertension pathology is divided into two types: primary hypertension and secondary hypertension, of which primary hypertension accounts for over 90% of hypertension cases. Risk factors for hypertension and hypertension-related complications are numerous, ranging from metabolic disorders, tobacco, alcohol, stress to personal behaviors such as lack of exercise, sedentary lifestyle, etc.

Complications of hypertension are very serious, ranging from cerebral circulation disorders to cerebral softening and cerebral hemorrhage, which can easily lead to death if not treated promptly. Those who survive are left with many sequelae that affect the quality of life and reduce the ability to work. Therefore, prevention and control of hypertension is very important for people at high risk as well as those who already have hypertension. When suffering from high blood pressure, patients must be treated for life and must be closely monitored to avoid complications.

Usually, in addition to treating the cause of high blood pressure (for secondary high blood pressure), patients are given a combination of 3 measures to control blood pressure: physical exercise - diet - blood pressure lowering drugs. Any patient with high blood pressure needs to exercise appropriately and follow a diet as directed by a doctor. If these two measures do not control blood pressure, then blood pressure lowering drugs should be used.

Many studies have shown that appropriate exercise can lower blood pressure by 4-5mmHg. Exercise will make the heart beat faster and stronger, thereby increasing the amount of blood expelled from the left ventricle, the speed of blood moving in the blood vessels is stronger, making bad fat "not in time" to deposit on the blood vessel walls, so it does not cause blood vessels to harden. In addition, the steady flow of blood in the blood vessels makes the smooth muscles and elastic fibers (forming the middle layer of the blood vessels) more elastic, thereby making the blood vessels more resistant to pressure. Blood moving well in the blood vessels will supply more blood to the cells, the cells will be supplied with more oxygen, will metabolize better, creating energy for the cells to function in the form of ATP and eliminate toxins during the metabolism process. However, physical exercise in patients with high blood pressure needs to be guided by a doctor, because excessive exercise can lead to unwanted consequences, on the contrary, too little exercise will not be enough to regulate blood pressure. For overweight and obese people, exercise to both lose weight and build endurance. For those who are not overweight, exercise to increase the endurance of the blood vessel system, thereby reducing the risk of stroke. For those at risk such as obesity, overweight but not having high blood pressure, they should exercise at a heavy level; People with stage 1 and 2 high blood pressure should exercise at a moderate level, while people with stage 3 high blood pressure should exercise at a mild level. The levels of heavy, moderate, and light are based on the theoretical maximum heart rate (calculated by subtracting the person's age from 220). Heavy is above 80% of the theoretical maximum heart rate, moderate is from 60 to below 80% of the theoretical maximum heart rate, and mild is below 60% of the theoretical maximum heart rate. The practitioner only needs to subtract his age from 220 and exercise at a suitable level to get the corresponding heart rate. More simply, if you feel sweaty and wet your bra and do not feel palpitations, you are exercising at a moderate level. For people with high blood pressure, moderate exercise should be done regularly for 30-45 minutes a day, 5 days a week. In addition to exercise, people with high blood pressure must follow a balanced diet low in animal fat, increased in vegetable oil, should eat lots of vegetables, fruits, beans rich in protein, limit salt intake to less than 5g/day; get enough sleep, avoid psychological trauma; limit the use of stimulants such as beer, alcohol, coffee; use blood pressure lowering drugs according to the doctor's instructions.

THANH CHUNG