Dr. Saurabh Verma Wins First Prize for Groundbreaking Research on Sleep’s Impact on Blood Pressure

Meerut: Dr. Saurabh Verma, a Senior Resident in the Department of Community Medicine at LLRM Medical College, Meerut, has been honored with the First Prize at the National Conference organized by the Epidemiology Foundation of India. The prestigious award was presented to him for his original research titled “Effect of sleep on blood pressure among adults of urban slums: A Cross-sectional study.” The conference took place at Goa Medical College, Bambolim, Goa.

Dr. Verma’s groundbreaking study focused on the impact of sleep patterns on blood pressure among adults residing in urban slums. The research was conducted among individuals aged 25 to 44 years in the slums of Meerut District, spanning from September 2021 to July 2022. Dr. Verma conducted this study under the guidance of his mentor, Dr. Arun Kumar, with support from co-guides Dr. Ganesh Singh, Dr. Chhaya Mittal, and Dr. Neelam Gautam.

Data for the study was meticulously collected through a comprehensive house-to-house survey. Meerut’s slum areas, numbering 185 in total, were cataloged along with their populations. To ensure a representative sample, 30 clusters were randomly selected from these slum areas.

The study aimed to shed light on the vulnerability of the adult population living in slum areas to hypertension. These individuals are often preoccupied with fulfilling their daily basic needs, family commitments, economic stress, and may also have addictive behaviors that contribute to their risk factors. Due to limited awareness and poor health-seeking behavior, they often delay seeking medical attention, leading to delayed diagnosis and management of non-communicable diseases, particularly hypertension.

Recognizing the significance of this easily manageable and preventable yet “silent” disease, and considering the limited research available on adults in slum areas, Dr. Verma embarked on this epidemiological study to explore various facets of hypertension.

Two key parameters were considered, given their potential role in hypertension causation:

1. Sleep Duration (Divided into three categories):

• Those sleeping less than 7 hours a day accounted for 33.9% of the sample, of which 17.5% were found to be hypertensive.
• Individuals sleeping 7-8 hours a day constituted 55.4% of the sample, with 20.1% identified as hypertensive.

2. Sleep Pattern (Divided into three categories):

• Participants following a monophasic sleep pattern (sleeping only once a day) represented 61.3% of the sample, with 24.2% identified as hypertensive.
• Those with a biphasic sleep pattern (sleeping more than once a day) comprised 36.3% of the sample, of which 19.4% were hypertensive.
• A multiphasic sleep pattern (sleeping more than twice a day) was observed in 2.4% of participants, and none of them were found to be hypertensive.

Recommendations from the Study:

1. Routine screening for hypertension is essential for early diagnosis. Simple blood pressure measurements can be conducted by healthcare workers at all levels, including those without a medical background.
2. Schools and colleges should integrate health education, emphasizing lifestyle, exercise, and balanced diets.
3. Nutritional education programs should promote healthy and balanced diets.
4. Salt intake should be restricted, with individuals advised to use low-sodium alternatives and minimize table salt consumption. Salt intake should be less than 5 grams per day for all individuals and less than 3 grams for hypertensive individuals.
5. Adequate sleep of up to 7 hours a day, with a multiphasic pattern (including 6 hours at night and two 30-minute power naps during the day), is recommended for overall well-being.

Dr. Saurabh Verma expressed his gratitude to his family, particularly his father, Mr. I P Verma, and his mother, Mrs. Sushma Verma, along with other family members, for their invaluable support and contribution to this significant achievement.