04 Oct 2018

Batswana have been urged to visit health facilities to check their blood pressure.

In an interview with BOPA, cardiologist Dr Kiran Bhagat, said most people had high blood pressure without knowing because it rarely caused symptoms.

Dr Bhagat said although many people might be feeling well, serious complications could develop if their blood pressure stayed high for long periods.

“It could involve the blood levels, the heart and kidneys,” he said adding that the result could be stroke, heart and/or kidney failure. He stressed that high blood pressure needed to be taken seriously. Dr Bhagat therefore encouraged every Motswana to visit the nearest health facility to have their blood pressure read.

Stating that 120/80 was the optimal blood pressure, he explained that a 140/90 reading meant danger.

Meanwhile, he also said high blood pressure risks could be reduced by a change of lifestyle, such as good nutrition and exercise.

Dr Bhagat said there was still no cure for blood pressure but encouraged those on medication to continue taking it while maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

He said with medication, blood pressure might return to normal, but might rise again if treatment  was stopped.

The aim of the treatment, he explained, was to make patients better by relieving the symptoms and adding years to their lives.

He said treatment usually consisted of drug therapy adding that non-drug therapy or lifestyle change including weight loss for overweight patients, reducing salt intake, avoiding excess alcohol, stopping smoking and initiation of a planned exercise programme was also recommended.

He urged those on treatment to follow doctors’ instructions carefully and continue visiting health facilities for regular blood pressure readings.

Dr Bhagat said the cause of hypertension or high blood pressure was not known, but stressed that certain lifestyle factors increased the risks of developing the disease.

Those at risk include the overweight, people with family history of heart disease or stroke, and consumers of too much alcohol, he said.

In addition, Dr Bhagat said high salt intake could raise blood pressure explaining that too much salt tended to make blood vessels and tissues swell with fluid thereby putting an extra strain on the heart.

Furthermore, he stated that smoking nicotine was also dangerous and could lead to high blood pressure as it made blood vessels narrower.
He also identified stress as one other factor that raised blood pressure and urged people to avoid it. Ends