more than seven in 10 health professionals report that not only do people not understand hypertension or its associated risks, they also don’t realize when they develop high blood pressure because typically there are no warning signs.
“it really isn’t until somebody has a dramatic event like a stroke, for example, that they realize that their blood pressure is even high in the first place,” blacquiere said.
how should we support people with hypertension?
to support people with hypertension or those who are at risk of developing the condition, the experts identified access to regular care and followup, routine blood pressure screening, and universal access to medication, including medication for hypertension.
“hypertension is like an on-ramp to stroke and heart disease, so we have a tremendous opportunity here to catch people before they are too far down that road by raising awareness, supporting prevention, and improving access to screening and management,” patrice lindsay, director of health systems for heart & stroke,
said in a news release
.
“if we can prevent high blood pressure or manage it through changes to lifestyle and medication, we can dramatically reduce stroke and heart disease.”
lindsay’s thoughts echo those of advocacy group
hypertension canada
, that beyond age and family history, there are causes for high blood pressure that can be addressed, including unhealthy diet, smoking, sedentary lifestyle, excess alcohol consumption and poorly managed health conditions like diabetes. the organization, which also provides resources for health-care professionals to help educate patients about hypertension and managing the condition, reports
declining rates of hypertension control in women age 60 and older
, and recommends regular blood pressure measuring to track your numbers and making important lifestyle changes to reduce the risks.
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