The best treatment for this pathology is good prevention, which is achieved through early diagnosis based on a simple measurement procedure, although in some cases other tests such as blood pressure Holter are necessary.
The importance of leading a healthy lifestyle, as well as the presence of a clear gender gap in its patients, are two other key factors when it comes to correctly addressing high blood pressure in the Cardiology units of the Vithas hospitals in Andalusia.
Next Friday, May 17, World High Blood Pressure Day is commemorated, a crucial date to remember the importance of keeping one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular diseases under control worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than one billion people worldwide suffer from high blood pressure, and this number continues to rise. It is estimated that by 2025, the number of people with high blood pressure will exceed 1.5 billion.
High blood pressure, commonly known as high blood pressure, is a condition in which the force of blood against the walls of the arteries is too high. While it may not cause visible symptoms, it can cause long-term damage to blood vessels and vital organs, such as the heart, kidneys, brain, and eyes. It is, therefore, an important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure or kidney disease. Additionally, it can contribute to the development of other health conditions such as diabetes and dementia.
For all these reasons, the Vithas hospitals in Andalusia, through the Vithas Cardiovascular Institute, have brought together some of their main specialists in this pathology, to address, among other issues, the importance of early diagnosis or detection or the association with other risk factors. risk as much as diabetes, obesity, hypercholesterolemia, smoking or chronic kidney disease.
In the case of the Vithas Málaga Hospital, the Dr. Markel Mancisidor, a specialist in its Cardiology Unit, states that “high blood pressure is a cardiovascular risk factor, since it represents greater resistance for the heart, which responds by increasing its muscle mass (left ventricular hypertrophy) to cope with this overexertion. This increase in muscle mass can end up being harmful as it can cause coronary insufficiency and angina pectoris. In addition, the heart muscle becomes more irritable and more arrhythmias occur. It promotes atherosclerosis (accumulation of cholesterol in the arteries) and thrombosis phenomena (can cause myocardial infarction or cerebral infarction). In the worst case, high blood pressure can soften the walls of the aorta and cause it to dilate (aneurysm) or rupture, which inevitably causes death.”
Finally, the cardiologist reminds us that “the best treatment for hypertension is good prevention, which is achieved through early diagnosis, which is based on a simple measurement procedure, although in some cases other tests such as Holter are necessary. of blood pressure.”
If we talk about the diagnosis, it can be made in the doctor’s office or on an outpatient basis. Devices can be used to measure blood pressure for 24 hours or the patient can take their own pressure in the morning and evening for at least a week.
“It is important to detect early any signs of damage to vital organs such as the heart, brain, kidneys, blood vessels and retina, as this can negatively affect the prognosis of patients with high blood pressure,” recalls the Dr. María Pérez de la Blancaspecialist in internal medicine at the Vithas Almería Hospital.
Once diagnosed, the next step is to achieve a good control objective. At this point, Dr. Pérez de la Blanca insists that “the control objective varies according to the age and fragility of the patient, as well as his or her cardiovascular risks. In most patients between 18 and 70 years of age, it is recommended to reduce systolic blood pressure to 120/130 mmHg. In patients over 70 years of age, it is generally recommended below 140 mmHg and if tolerated well, lowering it to 130 mmHg. Regarding diastolic blood pressure, it is recommended to be below 80 mmHg in all cases, but not lower than 70. It is essential to lead a healthy lifestyle to control blood pressure. Reduce salt intake, especially hidden salt in processed foods, which can be up to 80% of the salt consumed during the day. Other changes include moderating alcohol consumption, increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, maintaining a healthy weight, and exercising regularly.”
Regarding physical exercise, the Dr. Jorge Parra Ruiz, an internist at the Vithas Granada Hospital, insists that “although there are a good number of therapeutic strategies for adequate control of BP, we frequently forget about non-therapeutic strategies. One of them is the practice of physical exercise, which is of vital importance not only for prevention, but also for treatment. All clinical practice guidelines recommend physical exercise as a basic strategy, with combined aerobic and resistance (strength) exercise being the best option. In fact, at the Vithas Granada Hospital, together with the ReceDXT Chair of the University of Granada, we have proposed promoting the practice of physical exercise as another part of any treatment for HTN.”
Dr. Parra himself reminds us that “regular physical exercise results in a reduction in systolic BP values of 4.9 – 12 mmHg and diastolic BP values of 3.4 – 5.8 mmHg, values similar to those achieved by some hypotensive drugs, and with the associated benefit of avoiding (or reversing) sarcopenia, the main cause of physical dependence in adults.
For his part, the Dr. Rafael Franquelo, head of the Nephrology Service at the Vithas Xanit International Hospital, states that “high blood pressure is today a disease with a high rate of affectation in the population. Furthermore, there is the aggravating factor of population aging in Western countries, which means that practically the majority of the senile population requires treatment to avoid cardiovascular complications associated with poor blood pressure control.”
“In fact – he continues -, today in the majority of hypertension and cardiovascular risk units we detect the association with other risk factors, both clinical and analytical (diabetes, obesity, hypercholesterolemia, smoking or chronic kidney disease), which ultimately determine a risk of suffering an event that sometimes can even have a life-threatening condition, such as myocardial infarction, stroke, kidney disease or peripheral arterial disease.”
In line with the importance of prevention and good control of high blood pressure, the Dr. Antonio Castro, cardiologist at the Vithas Sevilla Hospital, emphasizes that “control of hypertension, as well as care for heart failure, is crucial; 50% of patients who suffer from heart failure have preserved ejection fraction (the heart contracts well) and of these a very high percentage are secondary to hypertensive heart disease, that is, to damage to the heart due to high blood pressure.”
The specialist focuses on another important aspect regarding the incidence of high blood pressure: the gender of his patients. “We have to highlight how these patients, who are older and have a greater burden of comorbidities, are largely women. But the gender gap also exists here, unconsciously. On the one hand, women have so far been little included in clinical trials and women’s own way of experiencing the disease (caretaker and “protected” by their sex, with symptoms often “different from those of men”). make the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases challenging. A reality that leads cardiology teams to promote prevention and call for greater control on the part of female patients who are often not aware that they have a heart condition until it is deep-seated,” he concludes.