Hypertension is a systemic disease . It is the force or pressure at which blood circulates through our blood vessels. For this reason, high blood pressure can affect several organs in our body, such as: brain, eyes, heart and peripheral vessels.
It is a disease that affects mostly men, especially blacks. Statistically, hypertension affects 25% of the adult population and a large percentage of these individuals are unaware of the disease. When diagnosed late, the consequences have a greater impact , especially in cardiovascular diseases. These circumstances make the World Health Organization (WHO) consider that hypertension causes a great impact on public health and, as a result, promotes information campaigns aimed at the population. According to the WHO, the prevalence of this disease is lower in countries whose per capita income is higher, which means that in poorer countries the risks associated with hypertension are higher.
There are a number of factors that can increase the risk of hypertension
On the one hand there is the genetic predisposition of each individual . However, there are other determining factors such as: sedentary lifestyle, overweight, high cholesterol levels, diabetes, tobacco consumption and age.
To prevent hypertension, doctors recommend having a healthy life, especially in relation to food, such as reducing the consumption of fat and salt, in addition to practicing regular physical activity (walking daily is an excellent habit ). These preventive measures can lower weight, as weight gain can harden the blood vessels and thus help the onset of hypertension.
What should you know about hypertension?
It is very important to know the family history of hypertension and diabetes. From the age of 40, it is advisable to carry out periodic exams, in which a cardiologist will assess whether or not the patient has hypertension.
A stressful life and intense emotions also play an important role in this disease. As a curiosity, there is white coat hypertension (blood pressure increases in the presence of a doctor).
Hypertension has no cure, but it is possible to control it through diet, exercise and medication.
