29/8/2019
PUNE:
Findings of India Heart Study (I.H.S) show that 19.1% of the respondents from
Maharashtra (excluding Mumbai) were white-coat hypertensive while 21.7% were
found to have masked hypertension thereby putting almost 41% people at the risk
of misdiagnosis (in case of white-coat hypertension) and ‘missed’ diagnosis (in
case of masked hypertension). There were 2026 participants from the state with
1288 males and 738 females.
Masked hypertension is a phenomenon when an
individual’s blood pressure reading is normal at the doctor's office but high
at home; white-coat hypertension is defined as a condition in which people
exhibit a blood pressure level above the normal range in a clinical
setting only. White-coat hypertensive who are misdiagnosed and put on
anti-hypertension drugs have to take unnecessary medication. On the other hand,
a masked hypertensive may go undiagnosed running the risk of complications of
the heart, the kidneys, and the brain, leading to premature mortality.
India Heart Study findings highlight a high
prevalence of masked hypertension and white-coat hypertension in Indians at 42%
on first office visit (doctor’s clinic). It was also found that Indians have an
average resting heart rate of 80 beats per minute, higher than the desired rate
of 72 beats per minute. Another striking finding of the study is that unlike
other countries, Indians have higher blood pressure in the evenings than in
mornings which should guide doctors to rethink the timing of advising
anti-hypertension drug dosage.
Dr. Upendra Kaul, Cardiologist, Chairman and Dean
Academics and Research of Batra Hospital & Medical Research Centre, who was
the Principal Investigator of I.H.S, said “India Heart Study points to a need
for better clinical management of hypertension in India. This is India-specific
data and should help shape the best practices for the diagnosis of high blood
pressure among Indians. The study presents exhaustive data on the various
aspects of hypertension.”
Eris Lifesciences commissioned the India Heart Study
that was conducted under the aegis of Batra Hospital & Medical Research
Centre. Dr. Viraj Suvarna, President –
Medical, Eris Lifesciences said, “Masked Hypertension, if undetected, is
a dangerous phenomenon. It is important to monitor one’s blood pressure,
beyond the clinic, even at home, according to prescribed guidelines. Accurate
diagnosis of hypertension is an important element of our fight against this
disease and improving health outcomes.”
Dr J S Hiremath, Cardiologist, Ruby Hall Clinic, and
a co-ordinator for I.H.S, said, “A high resting heart rate combined with
uncontrolled blood pressure, damage the target organs like the heart and the
kidneys. This can have serious consequences in the long term. As a precaution,
individuals should monitor their blood pressure at home regularly and speak to
their doctors to understand ways to control it.”
According to Dr Tushar Dighe, Nephrologist,
Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital, “Besides cardio-vascular complications, high
blood pressure affects the kidneys in a major way. Healthy kidneys are critical
for a normal functioning of our bodies. To start with, people should make
healthier lifestyle choices and have their blood pressure checked on a regular
basis to avoid any major complications. India Heart Study has provided us with
some insightful data on the prevalence of hypertension in Maharashtra that will
guide us in many ways going forward.”
What sets this study apart is that it was conducted
on ‘drug-naive’ set (people not on any anti-hypertension drug) of participants
using a comprehensive process of taking blood pressure readings. The
investigators examined the blood pressure of 18,918 participants (male and
female) through 1233 doctors across 15 states over a period of nine months. The
participants’ blood pressure was monitored at home four times in a day for 7
consecutive days.
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