It cannot be emphasized enough: High blood pressure (hypertension) is a disease of affluence. Too little exercise, an unhealthy, irregular diet, obesity, smoking and alcohol – all risk factors for damage to the vascular system. All together, they potentiate the danger; minimize them and you lower the risk of hypertension and its sequelae.
Preventing high blood pressure
The lifestyle to prevent high blood pressure is thus no different from the general measures recommended when it has already set in. In principle, prevention is optimal; early detection and countermeasures are enormously important.
Even if no symptoms are present, the regular blood pressure measurements should therefore be taken as part of the preventive examinations at the doctor’s office.
During the general examination of the state of health (check-up) from the age of 35, further tests (blood test, urine test, ECG) are also carried out for this purpose, with which other risk factors for high blood pressure can be determined.
Hypertension needs discipline
Once hypertension is diagnosed, regular blood pressure checks are important. In most cases, those affected can also perform these themselves at home after being instructed by the doctor – this enables good documentation over a longer period of time. This helps to monitor whether the measures taken to combat high blood pressure are working.
In addition, the doctor will also regularly look at the back of the eye and check the organ systems for consequential damage.
Patients should always be aware that they need to take medication regularly according to the doctor’s instructions. High blood pressure is not curable – therefore: stopping does not apply, even if one feels well.
Normal blood pressure without symptoms is the goal of treatment and a sign that the medication is well adjusted, but not a reason to stop therapy.
