Category : Health and you
World Hypertension Day 2026 is observed worldwide on May 17th with the theme Controlling Hypertension together. Led by the World Hypertension League (WHL), the campaign focuses on raising awareness about high blood pressure (hypertension) to reduce the global burden of heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease through accurate screening, early detection, and lifestyle changes. Here are the common misconceptions and facts about high blood pressure.
Hypertension: Myth vs Fact
- Myth: If I feel fine, my blood pressure must be normal.
Fact: Hypertension is often called the “silent killer.” Most patients areasymptomatic until complications occur. - Myth: Headache or dizziness always means high BP.
Fact: Symptoms like headache or dizziness are not reliable indicators. Manypatients with severe hypertension may have no symptoms. - Myth: Only elderly people get hypertension.
Fact: Hypertension can occur at any age, including young adults, especially withrisk factors like obesity, stress, sedentary lifestyle or genetic predisposition. - Myth: Once BP is controlled, medications can be stopped.
Fact: Hypertension is usually a chronic condition. Stopping medications often leads to rebound elevation unless advised by a physician. - Myth: Hypertension is only due to stress.
Fact: Stress contributes, but hypertension is multifactorial including genetics, diet, obesity, kidney disease, and endocrine causes. - Myth: Young, fit people don’t get hypertension.
Fact: Even athletes or physically active individuals can develop hypertension, especially due to genetic or secondary causes. - Myth: Hypertension is not dangerous unless very high.
Fact: Even mildly elevated BP over time increases risk of stroke, coronary arterydisease, chronic kidney disease, heart failure. - Myth: Medication causes more harm than hypertension.
Fact: Untreated hypertension causes far more serious complications. Modern antihypertensives are generally safe and well-studied. - Myth: Reducing salt alone is enough to control BP.
Fact: Salt restriction helps, but optimal control often requires weight reduction, exercise, diet, medications - Myth: Hypertension can be cured
Fact: Hypertension can only be controlled and persist over the life time unless it is secondary to known causes - Myth: Hypertension and diabetes always coexist
Fact: Hypertension and diabetes are different diseases. Diabetes may or may not be present in patients with hypertension. - Myth: Children of hypertensive patients will always develop hypertension later in life.
Fact: Development of hypertension in an individual is partly hereditary and partly influenced by environmental factors like smoking, excessive alcoholism, obesity, excessive salt intake, sedentary life style, stress. - Myth: Hypertensives invariably develop complications
Fact: Well controlled hypertensives need not develop complications - Myth: Hypertensives will have decreased life expectancy
Fact: Well controlled hypertensives will have normal life expectancy. - Myth: I don’t use extra salt, so my BP is fine.
Fact: Hidden salt in processed foods contributes significantly. Even without adding table salt, sodium intake may still be high. - Myth: Herbal or natural remedies can cure hypertension.
Fact: Lifestyle changes help, but no herbal remedy alone can replace evidence-based treatment in most patients.
By,
Dr. M Suresh Babu,
Professor & HOD of Medicine,
JSSMC & Hospital, JSSAHER