Actor Rajinikanth was discharged from Apollo Hospital in Hyderabad on Sunday, 27 December. He was admitted to the hospital for severe blood pressure fluctuation on 25 December.
A statement by the hospital from Saturday said that the actor has been progressing well and is under better control, but his blood pressure was still on the higher side, reported ANI.
Rajinikanth was shooting for the Tamil film Annaatthe in Hyderabad when he was admitted to Apollo Hospital. The statement from the hospital also said, “In view of his post-transplant status, labile hypertension and age the following advice has been given in addition to the medications and diet:
- Complete bed-rest for 1 week with regular monitoring of blood pressure.
- Minimal physical activity and avoid stress”
The hospital said that the actor was admitted with ‘severe hypertension and exhaustion’. But what causes hypertension and how do you manage it?
What Is Hypertension?
High blood pressure or hypertension is when the force of blood pushing on the blood vessel wall is too high. This causes problems, because the heart has to pump harder and the vessels are under great strain. This could potentially damage the heart, the blood vessels as well as other organs.
Almost one-fifth of Indians have hypertension, and it is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease – the leading cause of death in the country.
Causes and Risk Factors of Hypertension
Dr Sushil Azad, Principal Consultant, Paediatric Cardiology, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, had told FIT in a previous interview that hypertension could either be primary/essential, when there is no underlying cause, or secondary, when there is an underlying condition like kidney disease, heart disease, lung problems, obesity, endocrine disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, thyroid, certain medications, or congenital defects in blood vessels, among others. etc.
According to Mayo Clinic, some risk factors include:
- Age
- Family history
- Being overweight or obese
- Lack of physical activity
- Stress and anxiety
- Tobacco usage
- Unhealthy diet
- Alcohol
- Certain chronic conditions
In fact, even though hypertension has for long been envisioned as a middle-aged person’s disease, a deeper look into the numbers would reveal that children around the world are also susceptible to the condition.
Monitoring your blood pressure and keeping it in check, along with maintaining a healthy lifestyle is crucial to avoid the complications that can be a result of hypertension - such as heart problems, metabolic syndrome, cognitive difficulties and even dementia, according to Mayo Clinic.
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