Sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO), World Health Day is celebrated on April 7 every year in order to draw worldwide attention to an important global health issue. This year, the theme is Hypertension – or, high blood pressure – a medical condition that affects 6 million Canadians, according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Hypertension is a major risk factor for stroke, heart attacks, heart failure, aneurysms of the arteries, and can even cause chronic kidney disease. However, the World Hypertension League (WHL) reports that more than half of those living with high blood pressure worldwide are unaware of their condition.
How is hypertension diagnosed?
A persistently high blood pressure is the basis for a hypertension diagnosis, with three separate tests taking place at monthly intervals. If the blood pressure is consistently high during each of the three tests, doctors will try to find if an underlying cause for hypertension exists, based on risk factors and other symptoms identified by the patient. Additional tests for diabetes and high cholesterol levels are generally performed after a hypertension diagnosis as well.
How can you prevent hypertension?
Lifestyle changes, like eating healthy and getting about 30-minutes of exercise a day can help to prevent hypertension. Similarly, being more active, reducing your sodium and alcohol intake, and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables will help to keep your heart healthy, thereby reducing the risk of hypertension. The key is to focus on keeping your blood pressure consistently within the normal range for Canadian adults, or between 120/88mm Hg and 129/84mm Hg [via the Heart and Stroke Foundation]. If you’re concerned that you have high blood pressure, consult your doctor or a qualified health care professional.
How can you manage hypertension?
Often small changes to one’s diet and activity levels, like those mentioned above, can help to significantly reduce blood pressure in patients with hypertension. A low sodium diet has shown to be particularly beneficial, as is eliminating stress, and increasing activity levels. Even in cases where hypertension is high enough to justify immediate use of medication, lifestyle changes are still recommended in order to aid treatment.
In many cases high blood pressure does not cause clear symptoms, making those affected by hypertension unaware that they are at risk. As a result, it leads to more than 9 million deaths world wide each year, including about half of all deaths due to heart disease and stroke [via the World Health Organization]. However, high blood pressure is preventable and treatable by following the lifestyle changes outlined above, and in this World Health Day article from the Pan American Health Organization.
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