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On December 10 Dr. Doan Du Manh of the Vietnam Vascular Disease Association reported that the patient was rushed to a hospital near his home but died before admission.

Doctors determined he had suffered a paroxysmal hypertensive crisis (a sudden, severe spike in blood pressure), causing a cerebral blood vessel to rupture.

According to his family, the man had a history of hypertension spanning years but had been following his doctor’s treatment.

He recently joined a social media group and became convinced by the notion that “taking too much Western medicine is harmful” and that one should let the “body heal itself.”

Ignoring his mother’s pleas, he stopped his medication and switched to a high-dosage regimen of drinking salted lemon water combined with sunbathing for 10 consecutive days.

The goal was to induce sweating and expel toxins to return his blood pressure to normal levels.

Manh explained that hypertension is a chronic condition requiring lifelong medication to keep vitals stable. Stopping medication abruptly causes blood vessels to constrict rapidly, leading to “rebound hypertension.”

At this point, uncontrolled blood pressure overloads the heart, pushing the patient toward fatal complications such as myocardial infarction or hemorrhagic stroke.

But many people remain complacent, trusting unverified “word-of-mouth” methods and often suffering serious consequences as a result.

Furthermore, when the patient ingested large amounts of concentrated salted lemon water, the high sodium content caused water retention, forcing the heart to pump harder and increasing pressure on already weakened vessel walls.

Exposure to harsh sunlight caused dehydration and an elevated heart rate.

“The synergy of these three factors—stopping medication, high salt intake and dehydration—caused the patient’s blood pressure to skyrocket, rupturing brain blood vessels and leading to a tragic death,” Manh said.

Medical experts warn people against stopping treatments even if they feel healthy, oral traditions, detox fads, and extreme diets.

Patients need regular check-ups, a healthy lifestyle, reduced salt intake, and stress management, they said.

If there are any abnormal signs such as severe headache, dizziness or weakness on one side, families must take the patient to the nearest medical facility for timely intervention, they added.