Diabetes, hypertension silent killers: ‘Uray awan marikna, umay kayo agpakonsulta’ - Dr. Guinid

TABUK CITY, Kalinga — People should not wait for symptoms before seeking medical consultations, as diabetes and hypertension can develop silently and cause serious complications, an internal medicine specialist warned.

Dr. Yvonne Guinid,  a practicing internist from Kalinga and a Fellow of Board of Internal Medicine, urged the public to know their baseline blood pressure and undergo regular health screening even when they feel healthy.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), diabetes mellitus and hypertensive diseases ranked fifth and sixth among the leading causes of death in the country from January to March 2026, accounting for 6,292 and 6,038 deaths, respectively.

The International Diabetes Federation estimates that around 4.7 million Filipinos aged 20 to 79 are living with diabetes, while the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that 16.8 million adults in the country have hypertension.

Speaking during the Diabetes and Hypertension Convention at the Kalinga Children’s Ward in Bulanao on November 13, Guinid explained that the two diseases often show no symptoms until complications develop.

“Dagitoy nga sakit usually silent, so they are called the silent killers because iti daduma ket awan iti manifestations na, awan iti symptoms da. Nu addan symptoms dan, dakkel iti chance adda iti komplikasyon dan,” she said.

She noted that people who do not experience symptoms often skip medical consultations and continue with their daily activities without knowing their health condition.

Guinid said diabetes and hypertension can damage blood vessels and increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney disease and vision loss.

She stressed the importance of early detection through regular consultations and screening, particularly among those with a family history of the diseases.

“Isu kanayon mi nga ibaga, uray nu awan marikna, mas maymayat nu agpakonsulta especially nu adda family history tayo, agpa-konsulta haan lang nga diay marikrikna iti panpanunuten tayo, nu di ket agpakonsulta regularly,” she said.

She added that regular consultations help individuals monitor their health and determine whether they are at risk of developing the diseases or already have them.

The specialist emphasized that a single consultation, blood pressure reading or laboratory examination is not enough to establish a person's long-term health status. Regular monitoring and testing are necessary.

Guinid encouraged the public to visit healthcare providers or seek assistance from their Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) to have their blood pressure and blood sugar checked, even in the absence of symptoms.