The importance of controlling blood pressure

The control of blood pressure will help prevent diseases of a cardiovascular nature. Considering that these diseases are the leading cause of death throughout the different countries of the world, we can get an idea of the importance of the issue.

But what is blood pressure?

Blood pressure can be defined as the force that blood exerts anywhere along the arterial wall. The causes of this high pressure are very abundant, and the truth is that the one that predominates is still not known exactly. Now, what is clear is that, if at some point we suffer from the disease, we will have it easier to control it if we follow certain habits in our life.

What measures should we take to reduce blood pressure?

The first thing that should be clear to us is that normal blood pressure should be evaluated according to age, since normal values will not be the same for an adolescent, as for an older person.

Body weight control

The reduction of the corporal weight can reduce between 5-20 mmHg of pressure by each 10 kg that we lose. People who are above their appropriate weight are more likely to experience hypertension, so at the same time the possibility of death increases.

Follow a proper diet

It is important to follow a balanced diet in which all food groups are integrated. The diet must be rich in fruits and vegetables, with a minimum amount of saturated fats. You have to be very careful with sugars and excessively fatty foods, because they could put the tension through the clouds with the passage of time.

All these changes can cause blood pressure to decrease between 8 and 14 mmHg.

Reduce sodium consumption

Experts recommend a maximum of 2.4 grams of sodium. If we stay at this value, we can reduce the blood pressure of our body by 2-8 mmHg.

Do sport

Every balanced diet should combine with daily sports, at least with a moderate type of training. With only 30 minutes of exercise per day we can reduce blood pressure between 4-9 mmHg, and help maintain our exact weight.

Limit alcohol consumption

It is not recommended to take more than 2 glasses a day of alcoholic beverages (in men), and not more than 1 glass in women. If we manage to follow this habit, we will reduce the blood pressure between 2-4 mmHg.

These habits are very simple to adopt, although perhaps not so much to maintain over time.

Start applying these changes from now on, but do it progressively so you can get used to it and follow some lasting habits with the passage of time.

Summary

Like other vital signs, blood pressure is a manifestation of health status. Any alteration of the vital signs indicates abnormality. The lack of identification of arterial hypertension (AHT) can allow the evolution of multiple systemic alterations in the so-called target organs, such as heart, brain, kidney and retina and increase the morbidity and mortality of hypertensive patients. HTA is easily identifiable and treatable in the early stages, although it is often clinically silent at this stage, such that it is the health personnel (family doctor, nurse) who is responsible for diagnosing it on time and reducing the many side effects. Which implies the lack of early detection and the repercussion from the point of view, medical, socioeconomic and psychological that has underestimated it.