Hypertension also referred to as high blood pressure (HBP) has increased due to sudden changes in lifestyle. In the past one decade people’s habits have changed greatly, with people working more in the offices than in the fields unlike in the past. The daily routine of most people especially in the urban areas is stagnant with less activity.
People in the urban areas/cities have adapted more sedentary lives with the availability of private cars and commuter matatus, which provide transport to and from the city where most work. This has led to less exercise causing increase in weight and obese situations. Obesity has been attributed more to the fact that people have drifted away from traditional African diets which had less fat and sugar and adapted the deep fried food, rich in cholesterol and fats, detrimental to the body system.
Modern stress is also a major cause of high blood pressure, which frequently goes unnoticed, until serious complications arise. This is why high blood pressure is called the silent killer. The HBP is connected to old age. Because of the aging process, more cells die and are not replaced by new cells which raises the pressure beyond the normal levels. The normal blood pressure should not be more than 130 (systolic) or lower than 85 (diastolic) altogether.
In the youth HBP is increased by the diet the youth are consuming; with more fast foods, beverages and sweets available in the market. These foods taken in excess lead to other diseases like Diabetes; which are becoming common in this demographic bracket.
Statistics indicate that 30 per cent of the population has no symptoms of HBP but many cases of the condition are discovered during medical checkups.
What are the symptoms?
Notes that HBP can present itself in the body without any severe symptoms, but advices people to see the doctor if they experience dull headaches, tiredness and fatigue or when one feels like the head is suddenly heavy, when they walk fast and the heart is palpitating. Other signs include feeling of tiredness especially in the evenings.
He says HBP is more prone in males than in females, because most men are bread winners and mostly experience pressure from heavy workload or other family responsibilities, especially those that concern family finances and other projects. Although HBP can be inherited from parents who pass it to their children and further to their grandchildren, it is increased by factors like diet and less activity.
Causes
There are many causes of HBP but the most common ones include smoking of cigarettes, excessive consumption of alcohol, obesity and lack of activity or sedentary lives.
Management of Hypertension
– Exercise: To curb HPB from an early age, make exercise a routine in your daily activities, walk about 2-3 kilo meters in the evening or for those people, who work within their office environment, opt to walk than take a matatu.
– Swimming – For the people, who love to play with water, swim at least two times a week to keep the heart healthy and the rest of the body active.
– Reduce weight increase. Weight normally raises the blood pressure. People should therefore strive to maintain their weight according to Body Mass Index to avoid health complications.
– Reduce salt intake. Limit your salt intake in the food and avoid table salt by ensuring that you put the right measure of salt while cooking.
– Reduce intake of fried fast food and fatty foods, eg. Red meat, instead opt for white meat, eg. Chicken and fish. If the white meat is not available, consume more green vegetables, especially the traditional type.
Treatment.
Reports the availability of several types of medicine. The medicines are used according to individual needs. However all the treatment normally starts with diuretics which increase the urine output hence flashing excess sodium in the kidneys, which is excreted out of the body system. Medicine is usually the last line of treatment. It must come after the diet and weight control have failed.
This article that I have wrote about Hypertension I came to learn it from the seminar that I had in my place of work where by I learnt more about hypertension the causes and how to prevent it. Also we had a main speaker who taught us from his experience concerning the hypertension. Though, when I looked at him I couldn’t imagine that he was suffering from that disease because he looked healthy.I would like to encourage those people that are suffering to observe the diet especially to reduce eating alot of salt because that is the major thing that cause hypertension.
