Health Insurance for High Blood Pressure

What is High Blood Pressure?

High blood pressure is a medical condition in which the force of blood pushing against the walls of the artery is consistently too high. Also known as hypertension, high blood pressure damages the arteries over time and can lead to many serious health conditions, such as heart attack, coronary artery disease, stroke, etc. Since hypertension has no symptoms, regular check-ups are the only way to check if the blood pressure is above normal.

The normal blood pressure (BP) of a human being is 120 over 80 millimetres of mercury (mmHg). However, in the case of hypertension, the blood pressure rises to more than 130 over 80 mmHg. However, a blood pressure above 180/120 mmHg is considered a hypertensive state or emergency and requires immediate medical attention.

Stress is one of the most common reasons for hypertension. However, underlying medical conditions, such as kidney disease, congenital heart defects, thyroid problems, etc., can also lead to high blood pressure.

Types of Hypertension

Hypertension can be broadly divided into the following types:

• Primary Hypertension - In the case of primary hypertension, the blood plasma volume and the activity of the hormones responsible for regulating the blood volume and pressure are affected. Certain environmental factors like stress and lack of physical activity can also influence primary hypertension, which is also known as essential hypertension.
• Secondary Hypertension - Secondary hypertension results as a complication of other medical conditions, such as diabetes, kidney disease, hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid gland), pregnancy, obesity, etc.

Who Should Buy Health Insurance for High Blood Pressure?

Health insurance for hypertension should be purchased by:

• People with a family history of high blood pressure, diabetes or heart diseases
• People above the age of 55 years
• People with certain conditions like kidney disease, thyroid disease, obstructive sleep apnea, etc.
• Overweight or obese people
• People with a sedentary lifestyle
• People who consume foods with high sodium
• People with low potassium levels in the body
• People who smoke or use tobacco products
• People with excessive drinking habits

Benefits of Buying Health Insurance for Hypertension in India

Take a look at the key reasons to buy health insurance for hypertension in India:

1. Massive Presence of Hypertension in India

   Hypertension has a huge prevalence in India. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), about 220 million people in India have hypertension, out of which 12% have the condition under control. These numbers highlight how common hypertension is in India and how most of us are at risk of developing it. But with health insurance for high blood pressure, people can stay financially protected even if they are diagnosed with hypertension in future.

2. Rising Medical Inflation

   Medical inflation has made it hard for an average-salaried person to take care of hypertension-related medical expenses like doctors’ fees, expensive medicines, hospitalization charges, diagnostic tests, etc. Besides, people are increasingly opting for private hospitals to get quality medical treatment. By investing in a health insurance plan, people can afford the best quality treatment by not only getting their hospitalization charges covered but also OPD and day care treatment costs.

Health Insurance for High Blood Pressure

Here is the list of health insurance for hypertension in India:

*Disclaimer: The list mentioned is according to the alphabetical order of the insurance companies. Policybazaar does not endorse, rate or recommend any particular insurer or insurance product offered by any insurer. This list of plans listed here comprise of insurance products offered by all the insurance partners of Policybazaar. For complete list of insurers in India refer to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India website www.irdai.gov.in.

Inclusions of Health Insurance for High Blood Pressure

Health insurance for BP patients comes with the following inclusions:

• In-patient care
• Pre-hospitalization expenses
• Post-hospitalization expenses
• Day care treatments
• Ambulance cover
• OPD treatments
• Modern treatments
• Consumables allowance
• Companion benefit
• Health check-up benefit
• Shared accommodation benefit
• Wellness program for hypertension

Exclusions of Health Insurance for High Blood Pressure

The following expenses are excluded by health insurance for BP patients:

• Non-allopathic treatment
• Unproven treatments
• External aids and devices
• Artificial life maintenance
• Rest cure, rehabilitation and respite care
• Treatments availed outside of India

Tips to Manage High BP

Check out a few essential tips that can help people manage their blood pressure:

• Maintain a Healthy Body Weight - If you are overweight, work on losing weight to keep your blood pressure in control. If you have normal weight according to your height, avoid gaining weight. You must consult your doctor to get an ideal weight range.
• Eat Healthy Food - Eating healthy foods will also keep your blood pressure in check. Include plenty of vegetables and fruits in your diet, especially those rich in potassium. Also, include whole grains and low-fat dairy in your diet. Focus on lowering your intake of excessive calories, fat and sugar.
• Lower Sodium Consumption - The higher is your sodium intake, the higher will be your blood pressure. Cutting back on your total consumption of salt will significantly lower your risk of high blood pressure. Make sure not to consume more than 1,500mg of sodium per day.
• Exercise Regularly - Get moving and make physical activities a part of your daily routine. The more you exercise, the easier it will be to control your blood pressure. Even a moderate exercise routine of 30 minutes three times a week will prove to be beneficial.
• Monitor Regularly - Make sure to monitor your blood pressure on a regular basis. As high blood pressure often occurs without any symptoms, it is better to keep a check on your BP to determine any increase.
• Limit Alcohol Consumption - Reduce the consumption of alcohol to keep your blood pressure under control. Excessive drinking can increase your BP.
• Stop Smoking & Consuming Tobacco - Stop smoking or consuming tobacco to lower your blood pressure.

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