Learn More About An Illness That Affects 1.28 Billion Adults Worldwide
Are You Part Of The 46% That Don’t Know They Have It?
Did you know you could be suffering from a serious medical condition right now and not even know it? There are NO signs or symptoms to alert you of the problem.
Over time it might get severe enough to show itself with signs and symptoms. Sadly by then, it’s already an emergency. The likely outcome of this secret disease is having a traumatic stroke, heart attack, or other health crisis. If only you would have detected it sooner.
Don’t you want to find it now and treat it while it’s still treatable?
I’m talking about high blood pressure also called hypertension (HTN).
Most of my patients brush it off during their hospital admission assessment. I ask them to list any medical conditions and they either forget they have it or say “I just have high blood pressure, nothing serious.” Since when is something called “the silent killer” not serious?
I don’t understand why or when it became not as serious as diabetes or cancer. Maybe because it doesn’t have uncomfortable symptoms? If you asked these same patients after a stroke or heart attack, they might have a different perspective.
What is HTN (High Blood Pressure)?
High blood pressure is when the pressure in your blood vessels is too high. Blood pressure is written as two numbers and measured in millimeters of mercury. For example: 140/90mmHg.
The first number (systolic #) is the pressure of the blood vessel when the heart beats. The second number (diastolic #) represents the pressure in the blood vessel when the heart rests.
HTN is diagnosed when you have a blood pressure greater than 140/90mmHg on two separate occasions. A hypertensive emergency is when you have a blood pressure above 180/120mmHg. You must seek immediate medical attention.
Symptoms
There are usually NO symptoms until your blood pressure is very high, putting you at risk of a stroke or another serious complication. If you do have any HTN symptoms, they may include:
~Severe Headache ~Dizziness
~Chest pain, ~Abnormal Heart Rhythm
~Nausea, ~Vomiting
~Blurred Vision, ~Ringing in Ears
~Confusion, ~Anxiety
~Nosebleeds
Please seek immediate medical attention if you present with any of these symptoms.
Diagnosis
The only way to know if you have HTN is to get your blood pressure checked by a healthcare professional.
Have your blood pressure checked at least every two years after the age of 18. After you turn 40 years old, it’s recommended to get checked annually.
If you don’t see your primary care physician regularly, go to the free blood pressure screening. Try not to only use the free machines at the pharmacy. These can be inaccurate due to age or incorrect blood pressure cuff size.
Complications
HTN can cause serious damage to the heart and other areas of the body. Excessive pressure can harden arteries and decrease blood flow and oxygen. Serious complications can include:
~Heart attack, Heart Failure
~Stroke, Aneurism
~Kidney problems
~Eye problems
~Metabolic Syndrome
~Dementia
Prevention/Management
Medication is the easiest way to manage HTN. There are several different classes of medications that can safely decrease blood pressure. Follow the advice of your primary care professional and take all medications as prescribed.
There are also lifestyle changes you can make to decrease your chances of getting high blood pressure. This include:
~Get at least 150 minutes of physical activity weekly
~Don’t smoke
~Eat a healthy diet where you limit salt and alcohol
~Keep a healthy weight
~Manage stress well
HTN and Low-Middle Income
The World Health Organization estimates that 1.28 billion adults worldwide from ages 30 to 79 have hypertension. Yes I said billion with a B.
Almost ⅔ of these people are living in low-middle income countries. As a nurse, that is unacceptable!
Hypertension is easy to diagnose. It doesn’t require any expensive tests. All you need is a stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, and a healthcare professional.
The treatment is also very affordable with blood pressure medication being one of the cheaper medications available out there.
We live in a modern society with endless resources so why are only 42% of people with HTN diagnosed and treated for it? It is beyond disappointing that so many people are unaware of their high blood pressure. We need to do better!
Conclusion
High blood pressure is more dangerous than we would like to admit. By the time we notice symptoms, our high blood pressure has already done serious damage to our body. The only way to know if we have this silent killer is to get checked regularly by a medical professional.
Treatment is relatively easy and inexpensive so we must do better. The WHO and CDC have put programs in place to test more low-income countries and communities. They are also trying to make access to life-saving medication easier.
HTN is a major cause of premature death worldwide and has also claimed the lives of 670,000 people in 2020 alone. Please have your blood pressure checked and urge your friends and family to do the same.
Don’t become a statistic for this very treatable disease.
Hi! I’m Lauren! I’m an RN with an advanced degree who has traded in my stethoscope to reach more patients as a medical/health writer. I love to educate others about their health and wellness by breaking down complex medical knowledge into simple/relatable content. If you need a health writer, email me at [email protected]
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Sources
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hypertension
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/symptoms-causes/syc-20373410
https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/about.htm
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4314-hypertension-high-blood-pressure