High blood pressure is one of the most common causes of heart disease and strokes. «Control your blood pressure before it controls you» The slogan of the Sixth Conference of the Saudi Society for the Care of Blood Pressure The work of the Sixth Conference of the Saudi Society for the Care of Blood Pressure concluded yesterday evening, Thursday, the work of the Sixth Blood Pressure Conference of the Saudi Society for the Care of Blood Pressure, which was held in the city of Jeddah under The title "Control your blood pressure before it controls you". In addition to the Saudi speakers, a number of prominent international speakers participated in the conference, such as Prof Petigen, Professor of Cardiology from Turkey, Professor K-Tsyphus, recipient of the European Society of Hypertension (ESH) Center of Excellence Award, and Professor Roberto Ferrari, Head of Cardiology Department at the University “Ferrara” in Italy, Prof. Dr. Abdullah Shihab, President of the Emirates Heart Association, and the American Professor, “Sanjad” (discoverer of Sanjd Syndrome).
The importance of this conference stems from the fact that it discusses one of the diseases related to the risk of damage to the heart and blood vessels, which is "hypertension", which is one of the most preventable causes of heart diseases and strokes. Left uncontrolled, hypertension can lead to a heart attack, an enlarged heart, and eventual heart failure. And bumps (blood cysts) may appear in the blood vessels, and weak spots that increase the likelihood of blockages and rupture. And blood pressure inside the blood vessels can cause blood to leak into the brain and lead to a stroke. Also, hypertension can lead to kidney failure, blindness, and cognitive impairment.
A global disease
According to the International Society of Hypertension, the prevalence of the disease is highest in Africa (46 percent of adults), while the lowest prevalence is found in the Americas (35 percent of adults). In general, the prevalence of blood pressure is lower in high-income countries (35 percent of adults) than in low and middle-income groups (40 percent of adults) thanks to successful multisectoral policies and better access to health care.
Statistics from the Saudi Ministry of Health indicate that the prevalence of high blood pressure increases with age. It is 3.2 percent among those between the ages of 15 and 24, 51.2 percent among those between the ages of 55 and 64, and 70 percent among those aged 65 and over. High incidence of pre-hypertension has been observed It reached 46.5% among males and 34.3% among females.
Causes and risk factors
I spoke to "Your Health", a member of the conference organizing committee, Dr. Iman Ashkar, a consultant cardiologist, and a member of the Saudi Society for Blood Pressure, and she explained at the outset that blood pressure is the resistance that the heart makes to pump blood into the arteries, and the normal pressure is 120 - 80, and the maximum 139-85 mm Hg. The blood pressure is determined by the amount of blood that the heart pumps as a result of narrowing of the small arteries, followed by the largest and the largest, and when the heart finds that resistance, the arterial blood pressure rises. The pressure may be high for a long time before symptoms such as headache, nosebleeds, or shortness of breath appear on exertion. There may be no symptoms (the silent killer).
Dr. Iman Ashkar added that high blood pressure may affect young people as a result of congenital differences since birth, such as aortic stenosis, and adults are affected as a result of obstructive sleep apnea, especially with obesity, thyroid dysfunction, chronic kidney inflammation, adrenal tumors, and the use of Certain medications, such as birth control pills, cold remedies, decongestants, pain relievers, stimulants, and narcotics such as cocaine, amphetamines and alcohol.
She warned of risk factors that can be controlled, including: obesity, smoking, lack of physical activity, excess salt in food, alcohol and stimuli, emotion and stress, neglect of treating chronic diseases, such as diabetes, high cholesterol and kidney disease. She indicated that there are some factors that can cause high blood pressure but cannot be controlled, such as age (where the chance of infection increases with age), and family history (as high blood pressure is a genetic disease, and the possibility of infection increases in case of infection. One of the parents or brothers with the disease).
Dr. Ghaleb Abdel Mohsen Al-Faraj, a consultant family medicine consultant and member of the board of directors of the Saudi Society for the Care of Blood Pressure, spoke to “Your Health”, a member of the conference’s organizing committee, explaining that high blood pressure is a chronic disease, and it is a group of cardiovascular diseases. Bloody, and continues to accompany the injured person for the rest of his life.
Some local studies indicate that a quarter of the adult population of the Kingdom suffers from high blood pressure, and as such it constitutes an increasing burden on the health of society, and its treatment is radically linked to improving the style and lifestyles, such as sports, food and stress.
Al-Faraj added that failure to treat the disease well, completely and continuously leads to dire consequences for the target body systems, especially the kidneys, the arteries of the heart, the brain, the limbs and the eyes.
Types of hypertension
Type 1, which is predominant, is called primary blood pressure, and has no single specific cause It is the product of genetic, hereditary and environmental factors. It most often affects people of middle age and older, and it is most common and predominant, which is what we are dealing with in this conversation.
As for the second type, it is secondary, resulting from other diseases, such as diseases of the glands, narrowing of the artery of the kidneys, and taking some medicines in a chronic manner, which is less common. Hypertension often is associated with other diseases that are considered secondary and accompanying it, especially diabetes, obesity, and an imbalance of blood fats and cholesterol. The likelihood of its occurrence or its virulence also increases with the presence of other factors, such as parental infection with the same disease, that they are smokers, and they adopt negative habits in their lives, such as unbalanced nutrition and lack of movement.
Among its dangerous complications, as Dr. Ghaleb al-Farag explained, is its effects on the arteries of the heart, brain, kidneys, eyes and extremities, as well as leading to kidney failure, heart clots, clots in the arteries of the brain and arteries of the extremities, the function of the eye deteriorates, and the death rate rises.
treatment
According to modern protocols for treating high blood pressure, agreed upon by international scientific societies, such as the British, European and Canadian Blood Pressure Association, the American Family Medicine Association, and of course the Saudi Society for the Treatment of Blood Pressure, Dr. Ghaleb Al-Faraj indicates that the following must be done:
First, the degree of hypertension must be graded for an effective and beneficial treatment. The degree of elevation is classified into: elevation from the first level, in which the blood pressure is 140 - 90 mm Hg and above, elevation from the second level 160 - 100 and above, and elevation from the third level 180 - 110 and above.
Secondly, the degree of risk factors associated with the disease must be investigated, and the type of complications caused by the disease must be determined, and this is mandatory when choosing the type of treatment.
Third, it must be emphasized that the treatment of high blood pressure goes in two concomitant directions at the same time, which are treatment with medicines on the one hand, and on the other hand modification of lifestyle, such as balanced food, physical exercise and combating stress and pressure, and one type and direction does not sing from the other.
Fourth, the ability of any of the natural, herbal, native and complementary medicine treatment methods to produce a significant reduction in blood pressure has not been scientifically proven, and therefore it is not reliable as a qualitative and main treatment, and it may hardly have a secondary role.
Fifthly, it is considered a dangerous matter to stop treatment or change drug doses without medical advice, because of its serious consequences, and in this context it is necessary to adhere to regular, regular follow-up with the treating physician, to adjust treatment doses, make periodic checks and analyzes, and investigate the occurrence of complications, No systematic treatment of the disease is considered integrated without permanent and regular follow-up with the medical staff.
Prevention of high blood pressure
Eat healthy food rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and protein.
Limit foods high in saturated fats.
Reduce your intake of table salt So that it does not exceed 5 grams per day, that is, a small teaspoon.
Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight may lead to high blood pressure.
Avoid smoking because it is harmful to blood vessels and causes hardening of the arteries.
Exercise for 150 minutes a week. Physical activity may help reduce high blood pressure.
Keep checking your blood pressure regularly, which is important. Because high blood pressure often has no symptoms.
Preventing other medical conditions, such as diabetes, and treating it early. As 60 percent of people with diabetes suffer from high blood pressure, the risk of diabetes can be reduced by eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, and exercising.
