May 17 is World Hypertension Day. In recent years, the prevalence of hypertension in China has increased year by year. Many middle-aged people, even young people, who feel that they are in good health, also wear the "hat" of high blood pressure. "Hypertension is a clinical syndrome characterized by increased systemic arterial blood pressure and can be accompanied by functional or organic damage to organs such as heart, brain and kidney." Professor Huang Rongzhen of the cardiovascular center of Beijing Friendship Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University introduced in an interview with people's Daily that at present, the standard for defining hypertension in China is systolic blood pressure ≥ 140mmHg and / or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90mmHg. "Hypertension is not just high blood pressure, but also an important risk factor for heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and death." Professor Huang Rongzhen said that long-term hypertension can cause cardiac damage such as myocardial hypertrophy, coronary heart disease and arrhythmia; It may cause brain damage such as cerebral hemorrhage and cerebral infarction; It may cause the increase of urinary protein, creatinine and urea nitrogen levels, and even lead to renal insufficiency; It may also lead to fundus hemorrhage, optic papilledema and other fundus lesions. Therefore, patients with hypertension need to regularly go to the outpatient department of Cardiology for cardiovascular risk assessment, and intervene as soon as possible in the possible damage of important organs such as heart, brain, kidney and eyes. In the process of hypertension treatment, there are always some patients who make one mistake or another due to cognitive misunderstanding, which will affect the curative effect and prognosis. Professor Huang Rongzhen suggested that misunderstandings about hypertension seriously interfere with the standardized treatment of hypertension. The following misunderstandings must be avoided. Myth 1: unwilling to take medicine too early, thinking it will cause damage to liver and kidney function Early drug treatment can effectively reduce the risk of cardio cerebral events. At present, the antihypertensive drugs that have been put on the market have high safety. If the patient's systolic blood pressure ≥ 140mmHg and / or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90mmHg, drug treatment should be started on the basis of improving lifestyle, even for young people with initial hypertension. At the same time, patients should regularly go to the clinic to recheck liver and kidney function and monitor possible adverse drug reactions. Myth 2: no symptoms, no treatment Elevated blood pressure can lead to discomfort symptoms such as headache, dizziness and dizziness, but some patients have a long course of hypertension, and their body has tolerated discomfort and may not feel much. It should be emphasized that no discomfort means that the elevated blood pressure is not harmful to the body. The treatment of hypertension mainly depends on the blood pressure and risk, and has nothing to do with the presence of symptoms. Therefore, even if there are no symptoms, treatment is needed as long as the blood pressure is higher than the standard value. Myth 3: stop taking medicine when your blood pressure is normal Hypertension is a chronic syndrome, which requires long-term drug treatment to maintain blood pressure up to standard, so as to reduce the risk of damage to heart, brain, kidney and eyes. In addition, the fluctuation range of blood pressure, that is, the high rate of blood pressure variation, will increase the risk of cardio cerebral events. Myth 4: take medicine on time without regular review The fluctuation of blood pressure is affected by many factors, such as temperature change, emotional tension, combined diseases and so on. Patients with hypertension need to monitor target organ damage. At the same time, drug treatment needs to monitor and control adverse drug reactions. Therefore, patients with hypertension need regular outpatient reexamination. Myth 5: hypertensive patients with normal blood lipids do not need to take lipid-lowering drugs The normal range of blood lipid in the test report is not the recommended range of blood lipid for people with hypertension. Hypertension combined with hyperlipidemia will increase the risk of cardiovascular events. Patients with hypertension should be stratified according to low-risk, medium risk, high-risk and very high-risk. At the same time, lipid-lowering drugs should be added, and the blood lipid should meet the standard, so as to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events. "The study found that the occurrence of hypertension is not only related to genetic, age, gender and other unalterable factors, but also related to excessive drinking, high sodium and low potassium diet, overweight and obesity, mental stress, lack of physical activity, smoking, diabetes, dyslipidemia and other risk factors." Professor Huang Rongzhen suggested that people with the above related risk factors should pay attention to monitoring the blood pressure level, and pay attention to developing healthy diet and good living habits, such as light diet and less salt, smoking cessation and alcohol restriction, appropriate exercise, reasonable diet, weight control, and maintaining emotional balance. (Xinhua News Agency)