Roughly one in three Pakistani adults has high blood pressure, and most don't know. Hypertension usually causes no symptoms at all while it quietly damages the heart, brain, kidneys, and eyes. The first "symptom" is too often a stroke.
Know your numbers
- Normal: below 120/80
- Raised: 120–139 / 80–89 — lifestyle changes now
- High: 140/90 or above on repeated readings — see a doctor
Every adult over 30 should have their BP checked at least once a year — free at most clinics and pharmacies. One high reading isn't a diagnosis; it should be repeated on separate days.
What actually works
- Less salt — the biggest single win. Go easy on namak, achar, chips, and processed food
- Walk 30 minutes most days; lose even 4–5 kg if overweight
- Stop smoking and naswar
- If medicine is prescribed, take it daily, forever — BP medicine controls, it does not cure. Stopping when you "feel fine" is how strokes happen
Seek urgent care if
BP above 180/120, or high BP with chest pain, severe headache, vision changes, weakness of one side, or difficulty speaking — these are emergencies.
Source: WHO — Hypertension. This article is general guidance, not a diagnosis.