MOHALI: As many as 100 senior citizens attended a health talk on ‘’How to deal with hypertension & protect kidneys’ at Max Super Specialty Hospital (MSSH) , Mohali today . Speaking during occasion, Dr Vinay Sakhuja, Director Nephrology & Transplant Medicine, MSSH termed hypertension as the 3rd commonest cause of kidney failure worldwide. He said, hypertension affected about 22% of the adult population in our country.

In the age group of over 65 years , around 60 % were suffering from this problem. If uncontrolled, hypertension could cause kidney damage and even premature death. In about 90 % of those with hypertension, it was primary indicating that the cause was unknown. This kind of hypertension would often run in families. In the remaining 10% , there was an underlying kidney or endocrine disease, he asserted.

Dr Sakhuja said further, one should keep the blood pressure in the target range. The weight control, exercise, and drugs could control blood pressure and prevent or slow the risk of kidney failure. The BP would put a lot of stress on kidneys. Treating BP would help protect the kidneys. Advising the seniors on how lifestyle change could control BP, Dr Sakhuja said that the health of the kidneys was directly dependant on optimum blood pressure in the body.

For that one should take plenty of fruits and vegetables and salt intake should be reduced to 5 mg per day. The overweight persons should try to reduce it to ideal level by a combination of calorie restriction and physical activity. Smoking should also be curbed and alcohol intake be reduced, he maintained. During talk , Dr Sakhuja gave following tips to senior citizens for keeping BP in optimum level for healthy kidneys.