18 May 2017

This year’s World Hypertension Day will be commemorated on May 17 under the theme: 'Know your numbers, with the goal of increasing high blood pressure awareness all over around the world.'

A press release from the Ministry of Health and Wellness says hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a condition in which the blood vessels have persistently raised pressure.

It further says blood pressure is created by the force of blood pushing against the walls of blood vessels or arteries, as it is pumped by the heart.

The release notes that the higher the pressure, the harder the heart has to pump.

The release further notes that the key contributors to hypertension include physical inactivity, a salt rich diet associated with processed and fatty foods, alcohol and tobacco use, gender, stress and obesity.

It further states that the burden of high blood pressure is a growing challenge worldwide and that in 2009, 89 314 males and 206 074 females presented to outpatient departments with hypertension, and that it is a total of 295 388 patients in 2009 only.

The release notes that more females tend to present to health facilities compared to males, and that the burden of mortality for all ages was estimated to be at 3.5 per cent in 2009.

The press says it is important to note that some people will not have any signs or symptoms, even with highly elevated blood pressure, but that some people may have a headache, blurred vision, dizziness and sometimes tinnitus and nose bleeds.

It notes that some of the complications include heart attack or stroke, brain aneuryms, heart failure, thickened, narrowed or torn blood vessels and weakened and narrowed blood vessels in the kidneys.

It further says treatment usually lye in lifestyle changes like eating healthier foods, reducing salt intake, exercising more, maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding alcohol and smoking, and that in some cases medications called anti-hypertensive will be used to control and manage hypertension.

The public is encouraged to visit the nearest health facilities for screening. ENDS