PHCC calls for taking practical steps to prevent high blood pressure

Doha: The Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) called on community members to take practical steps to reduce to a minimum the risk of developing high blood pressure and its harmful consequences.

PHCC explained that among those steps is to follow a healthy diet by promoting a healthy lifestyle with an emphasis on proper nutrition, such as reducing salt intake to less than 5 grams per day, eating five servings of fruit and vegetables per day, and reducing total and saturated fat intake. Additional steps include physical activity, for at least 30 minutes a day, as well as maintaining a normal weight and avoiding tobacco, overcoming stress in a healthy way, in addition to obtaining the support of the family doctor. Specialist in family medicine at PHCC's University Health Care Dr. Mohammed Al Tamimi warned in a statement on the occasion of World Hypertension Day, that high blood pressure is a common disease and usually has no symptoms. He pointed out that the main way that leads to high blood pressure is to increase the workload on the heart and blood vessels, which makes them work with the greatest effort and the least efficiency.