Number of people who are suffering from high blood pressure is incising. According to some estimates, over 35 % of adult population in developed countries has hypertension.
There are many reasons for this statistics, starting from the fact that we live longer, regularly going to medical exams to the fact that diseases is more often diagnosed. But the most important thing is that we do not train or have any activates, we are gaining weight and eating unhealthy refined food with a higher proportion of salt.
Regardless of the fact that you achieved the desired value, regular measuring of the height of pressure should be continued, because it happens that after some time, therapy needs to be adjusted.
Can you imagine that, one third of the population suffers from high blood pressure. In less developed countries that percentage is higher, and goes to 45%.
There are many reasons for this statistics, starting from the fact that we live longer, regularly going to medical exams to the fact that diseases is more often diagnosed. But the most important thing is that we do not train or have any activates, we are gaining weight and eating unhealthy refined food with a higher proportion of salt.
Also, in favor of this increased number goes the moving of borders for normal blood pressure, which has been lowered from 160/95 to 140/90 mm Hg, in the last 15 years.
This shift in borders as well as the fact that EU spends the most money on pressure regulating medicines, impose the question of justification of taking medication for hypertension.
The views of experts are undivided in terms of the high of the pressure which is considered to be the border. It is the same for people of both gender and not related to age, 140/90mm Hg.
All values above those are considered to be hypertensive and associated with increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity, cerebrovascular and renal disease.
All values above those are considered to be hypertensive and associated with increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity, cerebrovascular and renal disease.
However, diagnosing should not automatically bring to pharmacotherapy i.e. taking drugs
If a patient, aside from hypertension, has other risk factors, it is required to start with medications. For all others, firstly is advised changing of bad lifestyle habits, balanced diet, moderate physical activity, quit smoking... Most often, implementation of these measures leads to normalization of blood pressure. In patients with pressure higher than 160/100, as well when there are other risk factors (smocking, increased body weight, family anamnesis, kidney disease, diabetes, proven cardiac or cerebral disease), drug therapy should be started immediately.
THERAPY IS NOT SAME FOR EVERYONE
Most patients know how frustrating can be finding of right therapy or medication that would keep your pressure under control. One drug causes unpleasant side effects, other is well tolerated, but not effective. Patients are therefore often angry and feel that they are a part of an experiment, but they need to know that treatment requires an individual approach for each patient. For one-fifth, hypertension cannot be controlled by using only one drug, in those cases we need to introduce additional drug in therapy.
Also, in cases where with high blood pressure comes other risk factors, therapy is begining with two drugs so the pressure would be quickly returned to the desired value. On the market there are fixed combinations, which are two drugs in one tablet, who are proved to be very efficient and easier to use.
Regardless of the fact that you achieved the desired value, regular measuring of the height of pressure should be continued, because it happens that after some time, therapy needs to be adjusted.
As the main reason for not taking therapy, patients report the appearance of symptoms that occur as a consequence of the adverse effect of the drug. For example, there is a cough that is disturbing the patient and affects his normal life. Instead of quiting, you should contact your doctor who will replace it with another.
BLOOD PRESSURE
MEASUREMENT
Blood pressure control is neither difficult nor expensive
medical procedure, so there is no excuse for avoiding. The pressure should be
measured according to the instructions, in the sitting position, after resting
for at least 5 minutes and abstaining from smoking, drinking coffee or food
that affects the level of pressure. The measurement should be done with the
correct device, recommended the one with upper arm cuff.
Value of blood pressure on the left and right hand can vary.
If this difference is less than 10 mm Hg, it usually has no significance and is consequences
of the anatomical asymmetry of the left and right side of the cardiovascular
system. In such cases, the authoritative
is the higher measured pressure.
The difference greater than 10 mm Hg may indicate a higher
risk of peripheral vascular disease, while the difference greater than 15 mm Hg
can indicate a risk of cerebrovascular disease. In such cases the risk of
cardiovascular mortality is 70% higher while the risk of death of any cause is
60% higher.
People, who take care about their health, should control
pressure at least once a year, while patients who have hypertension, when diagnosed
or when adjusting therapy, should measure pressure at least three times a week
at different time of the day. Patients who achieved stable blood pressure
should measure it once a week before taking the drug.
WHITE COAT
HYPERTENSION
Patients who have elevated blood pressure only in the
doctor's office, or in presence of medical personnel, while outside have normal
pressure, belong to the group of patients with so called “white coat
hypertension”. These individuals are often prescribed therapy and yet they
really don’t need it. Diagnosis of this condition can only be done with a
continuous 24-hour blood pressure measurement. It is interesting that incidence
of this phenomenon is quite high, and according to various studies is present
in almost every fourth or fifth patient who was been diagnosed with
hypertension.
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
AND DEMENTIA
The impact of high blood pressure on the brain has long been
known and was associated primarily with increased risk of stroke. By reducing
blood pressure to a desired value, the risk of stroke is reduced. What is less
known and less talked about is that high blood pressure contributes to faster
cognitive decline and dementia. Doctors didn’t deal much with this problem,
which is understandable because after the Second World War, the average human
life expectancy was 70-75 years and dementia was not common.
In the last 60 years, life expectancy has significantly
extended, so we have a lot of people that are 80, 85 and even 90 years who are suffering
from dementia, which has become a major social problem both in Europe and in
the United States. Pathological processes of cognitive decline are starting in
middle age and lasts for many years. Treatment of hypertension, certainly will
slow the cognitive decline of man, but can it be stopped is still unclear.
In developed societies, great efforts have been done not
only in the direction of treating hypertensive patients, but also in the prevention,
primarily in reducing the amount of salt in manufactured goods. Unfortunately,
the results of these initiatives at global level are relatively modest.
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