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Every third Pole (including every sixth young man and 60% of people around the age of 60) has arterial hypertension. That’s about 11 million people. Even 40 percent. the sick don’t know he has them. The problem is that for many years hypertension does not cause symptoms. A headache is also not a sign of hypertension. However, there is one important thing that we cannot forget. “Know the value of your blood pressure” – reminds prof. Narkiewicz.
Hypertension is a risk factor, but one that we can do a lot about – and live happily and healthily. – This is not a sentence, it is a disease that can be treated very well – emphasizes prof. Krzysztof Narkiewicz.
How to treat diagnosed hypertension? What should the patient avoid and what changes should be introduced in order to feel better? Why is a headache not high blood pressure? Answers to these and many other questions related to arterial hypertension were given during the XNUMXnd Patient Heart Forum organized by the Polish Society of Cardiology by experts: Dr. Anna Szyndler and prof. Krzysztof Narkiewicz from the Department of Hypertension and Diabetology of the Medical University of Gdańsk.
How to recognize arterial hypertension?
Diagnosing the disease is the first step to successful treatment. How do we know if we have high blood pressure? – We should measure blood pressure at least once a year – reminds Dr. Anna Szyndler. For example, to get to know your values. One-time blood pressure measurement is not a method to diagnose you have high blood pressure, but you have to remember about it.
The quality of the equipment with which we measure the pressure is of great importance. The blood pressure monitor should also be adapted to us – it is primarily about the size of the cuff of a given device, which should be adjusted to the size of the arm (if it is too small, hypertension may be overdiagnosed).
As Dr. Szyndler emphasizes, it is worth spending about a quarter of an hour to measure blood pressure – this includes about 5 minutes of rest before measuring the pressure. After a minute or two, the measurement should be repeated, at least three times. – For further decisions made by the family doctor, we will need the average of these three measurements – he explains.
According to Dr. Anna Szyndler, the best time to measure blood pressure is when we are most calm (for some it may be an evening when emotions fall all day long). Although, as emphasized by prof. Krzysztof Narkiewicz, if someone does not know their values, each blood pressure measurement is the first good step.
What signals from the body may indicate hypertension?
– For many years, arterial hypertension does not give any symptoms – says prof. Krzysztof Narkiewicz. – In the past, headaches were considered such a signal, today we know that this relationship is very loose.
Many people don’t find out about high blood pressure until they have a stroke, heart attack or heart failure. Then it is too late. – Of course, there are risk groups, e.g. family history of high blood pressure, overweight, sedentary lifestyle. But young, athletic people who follow a healthy diet can also suffer from arterial hypertension.
– The only way to diagnose arterial hypertension in time is not to look for symptoms, but to measure blood pressure multiple times – reminds prof. Narkiewicz.
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