World Hypertension Day – which takes place on May 14 – is an opportunity to remind people of the importance of this disease and the means to prevent it.
Arterial hypertension (hypertension) affects nearly one in three adults. On the occasion of the world day against arterial hypertension which takes place this Wednesday, May 14, it is important to remind the dangers of this disease and to inform about the means of preventing it.
When a person has high blood pressure, their blood vessels are permanently under high pressure. It can cause very serious complications, including a major risk of cardiovascular accidents, and damage vital organs such as the heart, brain or kidneys. This disease sometimes manifests as headache, shortness of breath, chest pain, nosebleeds, and heart palpitations. Even though most people who have it don’t experience any symptoms.
Tobacco, alcohol, sedentary lifestyle, junk food … enemies to fight
To prevent hypertension, but also to treat it when it has been diagnosed, the first step is to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Hygieno-dietetic measures make it possible to limit blood pressure.
5 concrete measures to reduce as much as possible the risk of suffering from hypertension and the consequences related to the disease are to be advised to everyone: stop smoking, eat healthy, play sports regularly, avoid the harmful use of alcohol and reduce salt intake. Concretely, this means reducing your salt intake to less than 5g per day, which is equivalent to less than a teaspoon per day, eating fruits and vegetables every day and reducing your consumption of total fat and saturated fat. It is also best to limit your daily alcohol intake to a maximum standard drink.
Sedentary lifestyle is also an enemy of our arteries. Regular physical activity – including encouraging children and young people to exercise at least 30 minutes a day – is strongly recommended. We must also hunt for extra pounds. Losing 5 kg can reduce systolic blood pressure by 2 to 10 points.
Essential control
Beyond the hygienic and dietary measures, it is also recommended to have your blood pressure checked regularly to take the necessary measures as quickly as possible if necessary. There are several ways to test for hypertension. A person can go to their doctor to measure their blood pressure, but also to their pharmacist or even measure it alone using a self-measuring device, a blood pressure monitor. Although very few people use this device, 25% of hypertensive patients have a device at home and 18% use it regularly (at least once a month).
All adults should therefore have their blood pressure checked or checked on their own on a regular basis. And in case of high blood pressure, it is necessary to consult a doctor, in order to find suitable means of treatment.
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