what to do to prevent it – breaking latest news

High blood pressure poses a huge risk, especially for women. The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) recalls this on the occasion of World Hypertension Day, which is celebrated on 17 May. The pervasive problem: in Italy more than 30% of the adult population suffers from it, with much higher percentages in the more advanced age groups. Furthermore increasing among children, adolescents and young people (prevalence of about 10%). Hypertension is the most important cause of cardiovascular diseases, such as myocardial infarction and cerebral stroke, heart failure and arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation; it also contributes to the development of chronic renal failure. In most cases, the therapies allow the disorder to be kept under control, but approximately 35% of hypertensive Italians have values ​​greater than 140/90 mmHg (millimeters of mercury).

Dangerous numbers

The risk of developing cardiovascular disease increases with increasing blood pressure. However it is believed that the therapeutic intervention, even pharmacological, should be taken into consideration only in the presence of values ​​equal to or greater than 140 mmHg for systolic (maximum) blood pressure and/or equal to or greater than 90 mmHg for diastolic (minimum). Values ​​between 140/90 and 160/100 are part of hypertension grade 1; for values ​​between 160/100 and 180/110 we speak of grade 2; over 180/110 we are talking about grade 3. On the occasion of the World Day, in various Italian Centers (HERE the list) it will be possible to have blood pressure measured free of charge and without requiring a doctor, ask questions to the health professionals and answer a questionnaire.

Prevention and therapies

The main risk factors for developing hypertension are unhealthy diet and high consumption of salt and alcoholic beverages, as well as lack of movement. To prevent the disorder it is advisable, from an early age, to follow healthy eatingrich in fruit, vegetables and wholemeal flour, reduce the amount of salt and limit alcoholic beverageskeep body weight under control, practice regularly physical activity e not smoking. Four different categories of drugs can be used to treat hypertension, often in combination: ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers, calcium channel blockers, and diuretics.

Women are more at risk

Hypertension then especially dangerous for the female sex. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women, said the spokeswoman for the European Society of Cardiology, Angela Maasdirector emeritus of the Women’s Cardiac Health Programme, Radboud University Medical Center in Nijmegeg in the Netherlands, on World Hypertension Day — . The risk of cardiovascular disease in women also increases at lower blood pressure levels than in men. My message to all women is to take your blood pressure seriously, know your values ​​and know that if it is too high you need treatment. Don’t underestimate the long-term effects of high blood pressure.

Often underestimated

One of the most important consequences of hypertension in women is a particular type of heart failure – adds Maas -. If you want to avoid symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue and fluid retention when you go over 70, you need to start treating hypertension in middle age. Globally, approximately one in three women suffer from hypertension and the increase in blood pressure considered the leading risk factor for death for women worldwide. Despite its importance, we know that hypertension is often underestimated and untreated, or treated insufficiently, more in women than in men – the expert underlined -. One reason may be that, under the age of 50, hypertension is more common in men. The phenomenon reverses after menopause and therefore after the age of 65 it is more common in women.

possible symptoms

It is often mistakenly assumed that high blood pressure causes no symptoms. In fact, especially in women, these can be mistaken for menopause, anxiety or stress. Hypertensive young and middle-aged women may have palpitations, chest pain, pain between the shoulder blades, headache, difficulty concentrating, shortness of breath, tiredness, fluid retention, sleep deprivation, hot flushes and feeling like your bra is too tight. When we treat hypertension, many symptoms erroneously attributed to menopause disappear – explains Maas -. Night sweats can be caused by high blood pressure, for example, so women with menopausal symptoms should have their blood pressure checked and treated if necessary. Already in middle age hypertension is more harmful in women than in men and is a greater risk factor for myocardial infarction, cognitive decline and dementia. The likelihood of stroke increases at lower blood pressure in women than men, while high blood pressure increases the risk of heart failure three-fold in women (only two-fold in men).

Predisposing factors

Hypertension defined as a systolic blood pressure of at least 140 mmHg and/or a diastolic blood pressure of 90 mmHg or higher. But it is being discussed whether the values ​​considered normal should be lower in women than in men. More research is needed before treatment guidelines are changed, but I expect that within five years the blood pressure threshold of normal will be lower in women than in men, explains Angela Maas. Certain events predispose women to develop hypertension, such as migraine in adolescence, two or more spontaneous abortions, hypertension in pregnancy (affecting about one in seven pregnant women) and preeclampsia (a more severe form of hypertension in pregnancy).

When to measure it

I always advise my patients to share a blood pressure device (sphygmomanometer) with the sisters, neighbors or friends and measure it alone – concludes Maas -. Annual monitoring should start at the age of 40, if there is a family history of hypertension or previous hypertension during pregnancy. Women with preeclampsia should have their blood pressure checked at least twice a year. Women with no family history should start measuring it every year from the age of 50, when they enter menopause.