Problems with overweight and obesity, as well as insufficient physical activity cause that more and more Poles suffer from arterial hypertension – specialists alert on the occasion of the World Hypertension Day on May 17.
The WOBASZ research conducted in 2005 shows that as many as 140% suffer from hypertension (over 90/36 mmHg). Poles aged 20 – 74. The NATPOL research, which shows that 8,6 million people in our country have too high blood pressure, were equally disturbing.
The second number of people (9 million) shows the so-called high normal blood pressure, i.e. 130-139 / 85-89 mmHg. It is also worrying because within a few years it can go into full hypertension. Then the risk of coronary heart disease, heart attack and stroke increases rapidly. The first ailments, such as male impotence, may already be a sign of the development of a serious disease such as atherosclerosis.
However, many people are not aware that their blood pressure is too high, warns the Polish Society of Hypertension and the Żyjmy Zdrowo Foundation. Therefore, you should check your blood pressure regularly. Only then, by early detection of any growth, can you protect yourself against the serious complications of this insidious disease.
According to prof. Zbigniew Gaciong, head of the Department and Clinic of Internal Diseases, Hypertension and Angiology at the Medical University of Warsaw, should be remembered especially by obese and overweight people, as well as those who do not play any sports, smoke cigarettes, consume too much salt and abuse alcohol.
People suffering from diabetes and kidney diseases, as well as people with elevated levels of total cholesterol (over 190 mg / dl) and too high LDL, i.e. bad cholesterol (over 115 mg / dl).
Some people can be protected against hypertension by the use of a proper diet and regular exercise – assures prof. Gaciong. He adds that in patients who already suffer from this disease, changing the lifestyle increases the effectiveness of the medications taken.
In Poland, only 12,5 percent. patients with hypertension are properly treated. One of the main reasons is not following your doctor’s instructions. One year after the disease was detected, 20% of them give up treatment. patients, and after 9 years – more than 90 percent. Most often, these are the sick who do not feel any improvement and stop healing.
PTNT argues that only systematic use of drugs guarantees the effectiveness of treatment. It is not allowed to discontinue drugs prescribed by a doctor, or change their dosage. If you feel worse after taking medications or the blood pressure values have not decreased, you should return to the doctor as soon as possible and ask for a modification of the therapy – PTNT points out.
Worldwide, over 1,5 billion suffer from hypertension, and 7 million people die from it every year. The vast majority (over 90%) of cases have the so-called primitive nature. In other people, the cause of the disease is a disturbance in the work of the kidneys or endocrine glands. Men are sick more often than women. The nationwide data shows that over 40% of people suffer from hypertension. men and over 30 percent. women. (PAP)