More stressed out

NST: Not much has changed in the last 10 years: Cardiovascular disease is still the biggest killer in the country, and the number of people suffering from hypertension continues to rise.
Worse still, a study has shown that most hypertensives do not take their medication regularly.
Associate Professor Dr Lekhraj Rampal, of Universiti Putra Malaysia, said 32.4 per cent of hypertensives said they were on medication.
"Among those treated, less than 27 per cent had normal blood pressure," he said in an interview today.
Dr Rampal last year conducted a study that polled 16,440 people, the first after the National Health and Morbidity Survey in 1996.
It covered 6,979 males and 9,471 females of all races. The study found the number of hypertensives had increased in the above-30 age group.
Last year, the number increased to 41.5per cent for males and 39.4 per cent among females. The 1996 study found hypertension among 29.9 per cent of adults.
"The problem here is that people are not aware they are at risk. It’s a silent killer and there are very few symptoms."
"People who risk developing hypertension are moving around and stressing themselves, not realising that this could lead to heart problems and stroke," Dr Rampal said.
The study found that Chinese aged 30 and below were more likely to develop hypertension than other races.
"But as they grow older, the prevalence among Malays increases compared to Chinese and Indians," he said.
Overall, Indians have the lowest risk.
Dr Rampal said people should be made aware of the importance of checking their blood pressure frequently.
The study also found that women were more likely to seek treatment for hypertension.