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Stress Can
Lead to High Blood Pressure and Heart Disease
"Stress can have a significant
effect on the health of the individual. Every place and environment has its
specific stressors and it is impossible to completely avoid them. It is up to
us, as individuals, patients and health care professionals, to adjust to the
stresses we face in our daily lives to make our existence pleasant and enjoyable."
This was stated by Dr Riaz
Qureshi, Professor and Chair, Department of Family Medicine at Aga Khan University
(AKU), while giving a presentation on 'Central Role of Family Medicine in Your
Health'. Dr Qureshi was speaking at 'Signs, Symptoms and Care', a public health
awareness programme organised by Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) on March 12, 2005.
Dr Qureshi highlighted research
findings which show that accidents are more likely to occur at home, on the
road and in the workplace when individuals are under stress. "High blood pressure
is more common among people whose occupations expose them to frequent mental
strain, excessive responsibility and situations of conflict," he added.
Dr Qureshi informed the
audience that stress is a known factor for heart disease and those "who respond
to stress by smoking or drinking alcohol more heavily increase their risk of
developing cancers of the oesophagus, larynx and lung." Outlining potential
stress management strategies, Dr Qureshi said that prayer, meditation, yoga,
relaxation exercises, hypnosis and physical exercise including brisk walking
can help in reducing and coping with stress.
Drs Marie Andrades, Raheem
Dhanani, Aziz Jiwani and Firdous Jehan, Consultant Family Physicians at AKUH,
also participated in the question-and-answer session that followed.
As part of its outreach
programme and societal commitment of creating awareness of early
diagnosis and timely treatment, AKUH has organised over 160 'Signs,
Symptoms and Care' programmes in Karachi,
Hyderabad
and the UAE, benefiting more than 35,000 people.
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