Dear Readers,

Janice M. writes Lifeline from Greater Portmore, St Catherine. She was quite frightened recently when during a recent visit to the doctor along with her father, he told them that her father, 58 , has multiple risk factors for having a stroke or a heart attack, and that he seriously needs to alter his lifestyle. Janice says her father is a little overweight and will drink a little rum on the weekends. He does not smoke and really looks quite healthy otherwise. He does have both high blood pressure and a high blood cholesterol problem. A recent blood sugar check came up borderline and Janice says that the doctor used this fact to scare them terribly with a gloom and doom story. Janice asks Lifeline what really does having risk factors mean to a person's health and longevity.

Hypertension, diabetics, high blood cholesterol and obesity are all well documented risk factors for heart disease and stroke as well as several other disorders. They are also risk factors for:

. Blindness

. Kidney disease

. Circulatory Insufficiency

. Presenile dementia

The risk increases

Any single one of those mentioned disorders (hypertension, diabetics, high cholesterol and obesity) put the affected individual at increased risk of unwanted debilitating illness and death. And it adds on. The risk increases with each additional disorder the affected individual has. When these several disorders are present together the afflicted person is said to have the METABOLIC SYNDROME and is truly a member of that group of individuals with the highest documented risk of heart disease and stroke. It is, therefore, easy to understand why Janice's family physician might take the time to tell them that her father carries a potential "time bomb" in his hands. This is especially so when the affected person is casual about taking the prescribed medications which control the various disorders, or refuses to adopt a healthy life style, eating properly and reducing weight where necessary. Lifeline agrees with the family physician. The situation is very much akin to playing the game of 'Russian Roulette'. A very dangerous situation indeed.

Complications of hypertension, diabetes, high blood cholesterol and obesity cause more illness, discomfort and loss of work hours than cancer or the gunman and also take more lives. We all know several people young and old, who have these chronic debilitating diseases yet continue along with their lives as if no change is necessary, and everything is all right. If they feel a headache they will take a pill because maybe their blood pressure is high. Yet in every advertisement, written or spoken, hypertension is called a silent killer. Most people just don't know when that pressure is extremely high. The lucky individual will experience dizziness or blurred vision or nausea, but most people have no signs to alert them to very high blood pressure. When these diseases are present people need to be realistic in their outlook. Denial may well mean death. Discipline is important:

. Take your medications regularly, as prescribed.

. Discuss any side effects which may occur with your physician. Don't just discontinue the medicine until the next visit.

. Exercise moderately. At least three times a week.

. Eat a healthy diet of fish, vegetables, fruit and grain, avoiding fat and carbohydrates (and simple sugars).

. If obese, try to gradually loose weight. See a dietician.

. See the physician at regular intervals to monitor the relevant health issues.

Hypertension and diabetes damage blood vessels throughout the body while high blood cholesterol increases the laying down of plaques on the walls of the damaged blood vessels. These plaques will thicken and block blood vessels in the heart leading to angina (heart pain) and heart attack (death of heart muscle). The plaque can reduce blood flow to the brain causing chronic stroke as blood is prevented from reaching the brain tissues. Hypertension and Diabetes also damage the blood vessels within the retina of the eyes leading to loss of vision. In addition diabetes also causes opacification of the eye lens, known as cataract, another cause of blindness.

Hypertension and diabetes are very important risk factors for renal (kidney) disease as they cause damage to the blood vessels which nourish the kidneys. Diminished blood flow to the kidneys damages the filtration function of the affected kidneys which function is to remove waste from the blood. Kidney failure is often the result.

Physicians should be encouraged to speak honestly and even graphically to patients with chronic metabolic diseases. As a society we all need to awaken to the harm so insidiously taking place courtesy of the metabolic syndrome.

Write to:

Lifeline

PO Box 1731

Kingston 8