India is sitting on a hidden epidemic of non-communicable diseases. While recent global studies have flagged the rise of diabetes, high blood pressure, mental health and heart diseases in the country, in many of these conditions, doctors have said, no one has gone or wrongly diagnosed.

In fact, due to overlapping symptoms, patients may be delayed diagnosis, especially in the case of diabetes and excessive high blood pressure (high blood pressure).

According to ICMR data, more than 101 million people are living in India with diabetes and over 315 with high blood pressure.

Subtle signals and symptoms

Since both these diseases have very subtle symptoms, regular health check -ups can help stay safe.

“Blood pressure and diabetes do not have vague symptoms. Just like very few people complain of headache, which can be attributed to many things. Due to high blood pressure from per per things, you get very late symptoms and they can be frightening at this point. So, we call these two diseases silent killers,” Dr.

Some subtle signs of diabetes can drink too much water and often urinate. Despite a proper hunger, weight is still losing. However, even these subtle signs suggest that the situation has crossed the advanced phase.

“So, the correct and best answer to anything like this is regular screening. If there is a family history of blood pressure or diabetes, the screening on time can diagnose these diseases at the age of first,” Dr. Dhir advised.

The doctor said, “People often think they are fine because they feel fine. But in most cases, the most common symptoms of conditions such as hypertension and diabetes are nothing.”

Jean vs. Lifestyle

While these diseases can run in families, adopting a healthy lifestyle can reduce risk. “Avoiding extra salt, smoking, sleeping well, exercising and eating on time can help keep all high blood pressure and diabetes in the bay,” Dr. Dhir said.

He said that no particular group is more unsafe than others, urban or rural, men or women. The real issue lies in mentality and access.

“All are equally weak. In rural areas, many people may not even know that they should check their blood pressure, or they do not have just access to facilities. In urban areas, people avoid psychological reasons – once the diagnosis is made, they are afraid that they have to take medicines for life,” they explained.

Another major challenge, he said, ‘White Coat Hypertension’, where people read the reading of high blood pressure only when they are in the hospital due to anxiety. He said, “It is afraid of meeting a doctor, similar to the fear of examination,” he said.

Dr. Dhir also warned against the increase in wrong information, especially online. He said, “There are lots of claims about high blood pressure or curing diabetes without drugs. But even with any treatment path, it is the body that heals. The drugs support the process,” he said, misleading material often prevents people from seeking real help.

Many of the people who are diagnosed try to avoid long -term treatment. “We live in a thyroid belt where many people have hypothyroidism. A tablet can control it in a day, but people feel that taking the drug makes them sick. It is a wrong mentality,” he explained.

How to test for diabetes and high blood pressure?

Diabetes can be examined with a simple blood test that measures your blood sugar levels.

The most common tests include fasting blood sugar, HBA1C (which gives your average sugar level in three months), and a post-food sugar test.

This can be done in any clinic, diagnostic lab or during regular health check -up. You do not always need a doctor’s referral, many laboratories allow walk-in or online booking.

To check hypertension, all you need is a quick reading with a digital or manual blood pressure monitor.

This can be done at home, in a pharmacy, or in a doctor’s clinic. Ideally, check it several times in different days to get an accurate picture, especially if you are nervous during a doctor’s visit (which can temporarily increase your BP).

Regular monitoring is important to catch silent issues quickly.

Common blood pressure

General: Under 120/80 mmhg

Elevated: 120–129/80 mm

High BP (High blood pressure stage 1): 130-139 / 80-89 mmHg

Hypertension Step 2: 140/90 mmhg or higher

High blood pressure crisis (immediate care): 180/120 mmhg or higher

Normal blood sugar level (after fasting and meal)

Fast blood sugar (8-10 hours after meals)

General: 70-99 mg/DL

Predibrites: 100-125 mg/DL

diabetes: 126 mg/DL or higher (on two separate tests)

HBA1C (average blood sugar over 3 months):

General: 5.7% below

Predibrites: 5.7% – 6.4%

diabetes: 6.5% or more

Postprandial (2 hours after meals):

General: Below 140 mg/DL

diabetes: 200 mg/DL or above

How to stop the rising burden?

To deal with this problem, Dr. Dhir suggested to strengthen health screening from school itself.

“We can quickly start recording basic vitals such as blood pressure and family medical history as a school diary. This will help in making a lifetime health records,” he suggested adding such data to destroy high -risk individuals as soon as possible.

Regular health check -up should also be made mandatory in jobs and colleges. Medical examinations are common in many corporate jobs. Why was it not expanded in other areas and institutions? He questioned.

Another major obstruction is a common mistrust in the healthcare system. “People are afraid that going to a hospital means expensive test or entry. There is a fear that you will be forced to spend money or go through unnecessary treatments,” he said. “Both doctors and society need to build confidence and believe that only necessary tests will be conducted.”

To improve public awareness, he said that the message should be prepared positively. “Don’t use fear. Instead, create anxiety. Tell people that by managing blood pressure today, you can avoid serious problems tomorrow,” he said.

“These are slow killers,” Dr. Dhir concluded, “But with regular check -up and initial treatment, they do not have to happen.”