24/06/2025

LYFE TUESDAY | JUNE 24, 2025

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GYNAE SAYS

Silent killer o Importance of monitoring blood pressure during pregnancy B ASED on the National Morbidity Survey, the adult population in Malaysia is relatively

unhealthy with many suffering from non-communicable diseases (NCD), including hypertension. The incidence is between 25–30% in the adult population. Many young adults develop high blood pressure (HBP) from other diseases. These include diabetes and connective tissue diseases as well as endocrine abnormalities and renal problems. Hence, many develop chronic kidney disease, requiring dialysis as evident with the mushrooming of dialysis centres. It is easy to check your blood pressure (BP). There are many BP monitors you can buy from local pharmacies or you can just visit your doctor for a check-up. Pregnant women have a different physiology compared with a normal adult. During the early stages of your pregnancy, your BP may drop and reach the lowest between 12 and 14 weeks of pregnancy before increasing to the pre-pregnancy level at about 20 weeks of pregnancy. After this gestation, your BP may increase should you already have this NCD. The first pregnancy is always tricky as the risks are unknown – but when visiting your doctor for

Plenty of BP monitors are available to keep record of your blood pressure, or visit local clinic for a check-up. – PICS FROM FREEPIK

too high, you are at risk of suffering a stroke or developing heart and bleeding complications. On the other hand, the baby may be at risk of not developing properly and there could be instances of early delivery, injury or in some severe cases, death. Based on your control of your BP and your dose of medication, the doctor would advise you on when and how to deliver your baby. HBP is a silent killer as many do not know how high their BP is until they develop complications – so please visit your doctor to eliminate health risks.

This will help determine the trend of your BP in regular setting such as your day in, day out – instead in stress-inducing settings such as the hospital or clinic as the pressure of seeing a doctor may get to you. Based on your recorded regular readings, your doctor will let you know if you need medication. Even so, you will still need to monitor your BP to see if the medication works for you and if you will need to increase the dosage. Oral tablets are usually prescribed for HBP in pregnancy. If your BP reaches a higher level and it is uncontrolled, you will need to be admitted for an intravenous infusion of an anti-hypertensive medication. HBP can affect you and your baby – for instance, if your BP is

not present previously. If you are at risk, there are two options. The first would be a screening test which includes a blood test and an ultrasound doppler examination of your arteries supplying blood to the uterus. The test will calculate the risk ratio (high or low risk). The other option is to look into your risk factors to determine the risk status. If you are deemed to be high risk, there are medications that can help delay the onset of HBP and its severity – which includes a dose of aspirin and calcium. Normally, the recommended dose is catered to your individual condition, based on your doctor’s advise. You are then required to monitor your BP at regular intervals and to keep a record of it. OFTEN considered diehard fans of linear television, viewers over the age of 50 are quietly but decisively shifting towards streaming. Between 2022 and 2024, their consumption of streaming sports content reportedly increased by 21%, according to Nielsen. This shift is forcing sports and media companies to rethink the digital experience for a wider, more mature and increasingly online audience. Some stereotypes die hard. People typically assume young people are addicted to streaming services, while older people are loyal to their TV sets. However, a new study challenges this preconception. According to the 2025 Global Sports Report , streaming consumption of sports content has grown significantly among sports fans aged 50 and over, with a 21% increase recorded between 2022 and 2024. This is significant growth, reflecting a cultural shift. While streaming platforms have long been popular primarily with younger generations, they are now extending their influence to a more mature audience that has historically been loyal to traditional TV channels. “Live sports remain a powerful driver of fan engagement,” the report pointed out. And it is precisely this lever that has prompted platforms to invest heavily in broadcasting rights, thereby attracting a new audience.

the first time, they will usually examine for risk factors that may increase your chances of developing HBP. These may include symptoms such as headache and dizziness that were Pregnant women have a different physiology compared with a normal adult.

This article is contributed by consultant obstetrician & gynaecologist, maternal fetal medicine Datuk Dr H. Krishna Kumar.

Over 50s increasingly turning to streaming platforms

Streaming consumption of sports content has grown significantly among those aged 50 and over.

relevant. In the US, the new TGL golf league, which is interactive, high-tech and tailored for the screen, is a perfect example of this. Since the end of 2024, its fanbase has grown by 17%, and each game in its first season attracted an average of 513,000 viewers on ESPN channels, more than college basketball at the same time last year. Designed to appeal to young people, the formula appears to be working, since 32% of viewers aged 18 to 34 were not regular PGA Tour (golf) viewers. This demonstrates innovation in formats can revitalise traditional sports and open them up to new audiences that have previously been largely untapped. – ETX Studio

Recently, YouTube achieved a symbolic milestone by announcing that it would livestream an NFL game for free, a historic first for the video platform and the sports league. But the Google subsidiary is not alone in investing in sports streaming. Netflix already made a notable foray into the field at the end of 2024 by livestreaming two games, while Amazon Prime Video plans to make a splash with Thursday Night Football , scheduled for Dec 25. The e-commerce giant is no stranger to this field: it already screens several soccer matches and French Open tennis tournament matches. Meanwhile, linear television is trying to reinvent itself to stay

Live sports remain a powerful driver of fan engagement prompting streaming platforms to invest heavily in broadcasting rights. – PICS FROM PEXELS