KARACHI: The untreated high blood pressure leads to chronic diseases.

This was stated by Dr. Muhammad Nawaz Lashari, a cardiologist at Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS).

He was speaking at a health awareness programme, said a statement on Friday.

It was pointed out that hypertension is often called the `Silent Killer' and that globally about seven million die every year because of hypertension.

Lifestyle changes are recommended to lower blood pressure, maintain normal body weight, reduce dietary sodium intake, engage in regular aerobic physical activity such as brisk walking, reduce content of saturated and total fats, consume a diet rich in fruit and vegetables.

Dr. Nawaz further stated that it is very important to take prescribed medication on regular basis.

He said that blood pressure involves two measurements- systolic and diastolic. Normal blood pressure at rest is within the range of 100-140mmHg systolic (top reading) and 60-90mmHg diastolic (bottom reading).

High blood pressure is said to be present if it is persistently at or above 140/90 mmHg. Many factors including stress, obesity, smoking, shesha, social and economic problems may lead to hypertension. Most of the time, there are no symptoms, but when high blood pressure goes untreated may cause stroke, heart attacks, heart failure, chronic kidney disease and diabetes.

Lifestyle changes were recommended to lower blood pressure, maintain normal body weight, reduce dietary sodium intake, engage in regular aerobic physical activity such as brisk walking, reduce content of saturated and total fats, consume a diet rich in fruit and vegetables.

It is very important to take prescribed medication on regular basis, it was further stated.