Overview

Welcome to a special edition of the Health Dialogues Show with Dr Bhumika Maikhuri, aired in observance of World Hypertension Day (May 17). In this impactful session, we’re shedding light on Hypertension, also known as the “silent killer”, which affects over 1 billion people worldwide.

To guide through the facts, myths, and solutions, the session was joined by a panel of leading medical experts:

  • Dr Mahesh Nalin Kumar, HOD and Sr.Consultant Cardiologist at St Gregorios Medical Mission Hospital, Parumala
  • Dr Ramesh Menon, Associate Director – Personal Genomics & Genomic Medicine, MedGenome
  • Dr. Varsha Rakshitha, Consultant - Dept. of Cardiology, Ramaiah Institute of Cardiac Sciences, Ramaiah Memorial Hospital

The team asked the following questions:

1. What exactly is hypertension, and why is it called a “silent killer”?

2. How can someone know if they have high blood pressure if there are no symptoms?

3. At what age should people start checking their blood pressure regularly?

4. Some daily habits or lifestyle changes that can naturally lower blood pressure?

5. How does stress affect blood pressure, and what can people do to manage it?

6. Are medications for hypertension lifelong?

7. How do salt, diet, and processed foods really affect our blood pressure levels?

8. Why should young Indians be concerned about their genetic risk for high blood pressure?

9. If high blood pressure runs in family, does that mean you’ll develop it too?

Hypertension Myth Buster

1. If I don’t have symptoms, my blood pressure must be normal.

2. Only older people need to worry about high blood pressure.

3. If I’m on medication, I can eat whatever I want.

4. Cutting salt is enough to control blood pressure.

5. Natural remedies like garlic or lemon juice can cure high BP.

6. Once my blood pressure is normal, I can stop my medication.

7. High blood pressure isn’t serious if it’s just a little above normal.

Speakers

Dr. Bhumika Maikhuri

BDS, MDS

Dr Bhumika Maikhuri is a Consultant Orthodontist at Sanjeevan Hospital, Delhi. She is also working as a Correspondent and a Medical Writer at Medical Dialogues. She completed her BDS from Dr D Y patil dental college and MDS from Kalinga institute of dental sciences. Apart from dentistry, she has a strong research and scientific writing acumen. At Medical Dialogues, She focusses on medical news, dental news, dental FAQ and medical writing etc.

Dr Mahesh Nalin Kumar

Dr Mahesh Nalin Kumar (Surgical Commodore, MBBS, MD (Medicine), DNB (Cardiology), FACC, FESC) is the Head of Department and Senior Consultant Cardiologist at St. Gregorios Medical Mission Hospital, Parumala. With over 25 years of experience as an Interventional Cardiologist, he performs more than 1,200 cardiac procedures annually at high-volume centers. Dr Kumar has also been serving as a Consultant Cardiologist at Base Hospital, Delhi Cantt since 2006, where he manages complex cardiac cases with consistently high success rates. He is a certified proctor for advanced cardiac technologies, including Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), Subcutaneous ICD, and the Intracardiac Micra Pacemaker. Renowned for his clinical leadership, Dr. Kumar is deeply involved in training multidisciplinary teams and is recognized for his commitment to integrating cutting-edge cardiovascular innovations into clinical practice.

Dr Ramesh Menon

Dr Ramesh Menon is an Associate Director - Personal Genomics & Genomic Medicine, MedGenome. With over 18 years of experience at reputed institutions in India and Europe, Dr Menon has made significant contributions to the field through his research publications in top-rated scientific journals such as Nature, Nature Neuroscience, Nature Communications, etc. He has completed his PhD in Biomolecular Sciences from the University of Milan, Italy, and received Post-doctoral training from San Raffaele Scientific Institute & Hospital, Italy. 

Dr Varsha Rakshitha

Dr Varsha Rakshitha (MBBS, MD, DM, Fellowship in Electrophysiology) is a Consultant in the Department of Cardiology at Ramaiah Institute of Cardiac Sciences, Ramaiah Memorial Hospital. She brings comprehensive expertise in Interventional and Structural Cardiology, Electrophysiology, Leadless Pacemaker implantation, and advanced Cardiac Imaging techniques including Echo, TEE, and MRI. Her clinical focus also spans Critical Cardiac Care, Heart Failure management, Cardiac Transplant Evaluation, Preventive Cardiology, and Geriatric Cardiology. Dr Rakshitha holds a special interest in managing structural heart diseases, performing complex coronary interventions, and integrating imaging with interventional strategies. She has contributed to the academic field through multiple poster and paper presentations at national and international cardiology conferences.