Hypertension - An Invisible Killer

More than half of all hypertension patients have no idea of their problems because it is reveals few symptoms. According to a survey conducted by the Health Protection Centre, 27.2 percent of people aged 15 or above suffer from hypertension.

The situation is even more serious among people aged 65 or older, 65 percent of whom are likely to suffer from hypertension.

Hypertension can lead to problems with the heart, aorta, brain, kidney and other organs. it is often relatedto excessive salt, fat, alcohol, and caffeine intake. Lack of exercise, smoking, insufficient sleep and prolonged emotional stress are also causes of hypertension.

In addition, secondary hypertension may be a result of abnormalities in the kidney, vascular system, and endocrine system.

Peoples suffering from hypertension should monitor their blood pressure level by themselves every two to threedays. Such a detailed measurement record can assist doctors in their diagnosis and treatment of a patient.

In order to contain hypertension, patients have to take hypotensive drugs as prescribed by their doctorson a regular basis.

There is a wide range of hypotensive drugs available. It is extremely undesirable for hypertension patients prescribe their own hypotensive drugs from drug stores without advise from a doctor, as different hypotensive drugsshould be used in different situation. also some of these drugs have side effects, and cannot be used together with other medications.

Extract from the health feature by University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong Medical and Health News

How To Deal With Uterine Fibroids

Uterine fibroids are common in women aged 35-49, and are benign neoplasm in the pelvis. Studies showd thatover 30%-40% of women aged 40-50 might have uterine fibroids. The pathogenesis is still unknown, But it isclosely related to female hormones.

Fibroids are usually asymtomatic. If patients stay healthy, no tratment is needed. Yet, some patiens may suffer from menomhagia, pelvic pain or swelling in the lower part of the abdomen, even infertility in some cases.Large fibroids may cause compression and pressure on other organs, which lead to frequent urinationg, constipationamd omfarct. Most patients fo not require treatment if fibroids are asymptomatic. Medications may help to relievethe pain in the way that medicines help to ease heavy, mensuration and pain - killers reduce pelvic pain.
Surgery is the main treatment for uterine fibroids, including myomectomy (removal of fibroids) and hysterectomy(removal of the uterus and fibroids). Myomectomy can keeo the uterus with the aim of containing pain and safeguarding feature pregnancy.

However, the risk of fibroids reoccurring, requiring further operations is about 30% over a period of 10 years.Hysterectomy is the definitive treatment for removing the uterus and fibroids. It can be carried out in differentways or through different routes: laparotomy (total avdominal hysterectomy), laparoscopic approach (keyhole surgery);and vaginal hysterectomy (via vagina). The vaginal hysterectomy and laparoscopic process is concerned. The choice willdefend on the patient's condition. Fallopian tubes and ovaries may ne removed in the same way, defending on medicalfindings.

Hence, patients should seek a doctor's assessment and advice

Extract from the health feature by University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong Medical and Health News

Around Six to Eight in 1,000 babies have heart defects

Heart disease in children can be congenital or acquired in origin, although mostare congenital and already exist at birth. Antenatal diagnosis of congenital heartdefects is pissible beacause the heart starts forming agrer two monts of gestation.6 to 8 in 1,000 babies have it birth.

In the majority of cases (90%), the cause is unknown, and is probably related to
gene-environment interaction, while 5/8% is ralated to genetics disorders, and 2% are environmental factors because of antenatal rubella infection, certain drugs andgestational diabetes mellitus.

Ventricular and atrial septal defects, patent ductus arteriosus, tetralogy of Fallot,Transposition of great arteries and stenotic heart valves are example of congenital heartdisease.

On the other hand, Kawasaki disease, rheumatic heart disease, myocarditis, and cardiomyopathiesare examples of acquired heart disease. unlike adult heart patients, children with heart diseaseseldom die suddenly from it. The common symptoms include cardiac murmurs, poor growth, loss of appetite,tiredness and breathlessness resulting from even lighy activities, recurrent chest infections,swelling of the face and limbs, and cyanosis.

Medical consultation is required if any of these features occurs. Most heart conditions can becorrected through medical treatment or surgery. Since the 1900s, the Department of Paediaticsand Adolescent Medicine, HKU LKS Faculty of Medicine, had successfully used catheter intervention to treatdifferent types of congenital heart diseases, including septal defects and stenoticheart valves.

The treatment does not leave scars on the patient, is less invasive, and the patient stays a shorter time in hospital.

Extract from the health feature by University of Hong Kong.

Hong Kong Mediacal Health News

New Ultrasound Tests To help Detect Abnormal Foetuses in Expectant Women

New 3D and 4D ultrasound, with novel display modalities, havebeen developed to help conventional2D ultrasound examination detect prenatal foetal abnormalities, according to the HKU LKS Faculty of Medecine Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
Scans carried out with 3D ultrasoind examination can show multidimensional images helpful for monitoring the growth and detect prenatal structural abnormalities. 4D scans can show real-time pictures foetuses developing, or of cleft lips, limb deformities as well as heart diseases.

Indeed,expectant women with abnormal foetuses would be safer, physically andpsychologically, if they terminated their preganancy at an early stage of gestation.
Doctors relay on prenatal invasive tests to detect foetuses affected by severe thalassemia. The rate of miscarriage during such test is 0.5-1percent. Signs of severe alpha thalassemia can be detected in pregnantwomen with the help of 2D scans. If the scan findings are normal, invasive tests are not required. Figures show a 100 percent detection ratewhen 2D scanners are used. On the other hand, 3D scanners can detect enlargedplacentas. However, non-invasive ultrasound examinations cannot detect severebeta thalassemia in expectant women because abnormal ultrasound findingsare not detectable before birth.

Extract from the health feature by University of Hong Kong.