Young adults suffer strokes after ignoring high blood pressure

During a routine health check-up, 33-year-old Nguyen was found to have very high blood pressure.

The doctor advised regular monitoring and lifestyle changes, but he dismissed the advice.

"Maybe it's just because I had coffee and many deadlines that day that made me stressful, so my blood pressure was high," he told the doctor.

But the upshot was that he ignored the doctor's recommendation.

As always he continued to work overnight, fueled by strong black coffee, ate irregularly and drank excessively. He occasionally had headaches and dizziness when standing up suddenly but attributed it to fatigue or lack of sleep.

One morning he unexpectedly collapsed in the bathroom, his face distorted and unable to move any limb.

At the hospital, he was diagnosed with a stroke caused by uncontrolled high blood pressure.

CT scans of the brain of a patient with stroke due to high blood pressure. Photo provided by doctors

Doctor Doan Du Manh, deputy director of Phuong Dong General Hospital in Hanoi and a vascular and stroke specialist, said Nguyen's brain is "severely damaged on the left side, leaving him with speech difficulties, and the right side of his body is weak."

The patient has begun a long rehabilitation process after initially being unable to care for himself.

Doctor Nguyen Tien Dung, deputy director of the Stroke Center at Hanoi's Bach Mai Hospital, said he recently treated a 30-year-old man who had ignored his high blood pressure.

He had been hospitalized once before and the second time when being brought to the hospital, he had even fallen into a coma.

His blood pressure was 180/100 mmHg, despite intravenous medication.

He had a brain hemorrhage caused by high blood pressure four years earlier. After becoming stable he was sent home and told to continue the medication. But, thinking his blood pressure was normal, he stopped his medication, only to suffer a stroke later.

Dung said surgery was not an option due to the patient's deep coma and brain hemorrhages, and the patient now continues receiving intensive medical treatment with a poor prognosis.

Huynh Van Minh, president of the Vietnam Heart Association, said Vietnam is among the countries with the highest rates of stroke due to hypertension complications, and many people are unaware of their high blood pressure or neglect treatment.

According to World Health Organization statistics, the global hypertension rate is 23-37%, meaning one in every three or four person suffers from it.

Hypertension is when the systolic blood pressure is greater than 140 mmHg and the diastolic pressure exceeds 90 mmHg.

Data from the General Department of Preventive Medicine shows there are around 17 million people suffering from high blood pressure in Vietnam, all adults, or one in every four of the population.

As many as 70% of them do not get any treatment despite being aware of the situation.

Doctor Manh explained that hypertension occurs when the blood flow pressure against the arterial walls rises. It silently leads to both ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes.

In ischemic strokes, constant high blood pressure damages the inner layer of the arteries, creating small tears where cholesterol and platelets collect to form plaque.

Over time the plaque narrows the arteries, obstructing blood flow to the brain.

If the plaque ruptures, it can form a clot, blocking blood supply and causing an ischemic stroke.

In hemorrhagic stroke, long-term hypertension weakens the structure of blood vessels, especially small ones in the brain. These vessels are fragile and can burst under high pressure, leading to brain hemorrhage.

Hypertension can also cause acute kidney damage, chronic kidney disease and eventually end-stage renal failure, requiring dialysis. It can result in vision loss, atherosclerosis leading to leg pain and even ulcers or amputations.

It may also contribute to erectile dysfunction, particularly in those with diabetes or smoking habits.

Doctor Doan Du Manh Manh consults on treatment for a young patient with high blood pressure. Photo by VnExpress/Linh Dan

Doctor Manh said young people often fail to monitor their blood pressure, exercise less, have poor eating habits, and skip regular health check-ups.

They only realize the severity of the issue when hospitalized due to a stroke or other complications, he said.

Once diagnosed with hypertension, it is essential to follow treatment plans and take medication regularly for life, and get regular check-ups to detect early complications.

Undiagnosed conditions, if left untreated, can lead to strokes and serious complications, especially if accompanied by other risk factors.

To prevent hypertension, doctors recommend regularly measuring blood pressure, especially for people over 50 or with a family history of the condition.

If pre-hypertension is detected, individuals should seek medical advice and undergo periodic assessments to begin treatment early.

Reducing salt intake (to less than 5g a day), quitting smoking, exercising for at least 30 minutes daily, managing stress, and maintaining a healthy weight are crucial for controlling blood pressure.