Blog

Hypertension

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is the number one risk factor for death globally and affects more than 1 billion people. In Australia, around one in four adults live with high blood pressure, and more men are affected than women.

It is a major preventable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease.

In this month’s blog, we take a closer look at hypertension and how it can best be managed and prevented.

What is hypertension?

Hypertension occurs when your blood pressure increases to unhealthy levels.

Blood pressure is the pressure of your blood on the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps it around your body. It is measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg) and recorded as two numbers:

  1. Systolic Blood Pressure – this is the larger number and indicates the pressure in the arteries as the heart pumps blood during each beat.
  2. Diastolic Blood Pressure – this is the lower number and indicates the pressure as the heart relaxes before the next beat.

Blood pressure will naturally change throughout the day, depending on what you are doing, and what is considered a normal and healthy blood pressure will vary from person to person.

However, hypertension is usually indicated when your blood pressure reading is at 140/90 mmHg and above.

Blood Pressure Chart - Source: Better Health Victoria

High blood pressure is a major risk factor for:

  • heart disease
  • heart attack
  • chronic kidney disease
  • stroke
  • heart failure
  • vascular dementia

This video from the Heart Foundation provides a good overview of the impact of blood pressure on heart disease>>

Symptoms

One of the biggest challenges with hypertension is that there can often be no signs or symptoms. People can feel perfectly healthy and may not even realise they have high blood pressure until they experience a related disease, such as heart failure or stroke.

The only way to find out for certain is to have your blood pressure regularly checked by your doctor.

Risk Factors

While there are no obvious signs or symptoms of hypertension, there are a number of well-known risk factors. These include:

  • Family history of hypertension
  • Poor eating patterns (including a lot of processed and salty foods)
  • Drinking alcohol
  • Smoking
  • Being overweight or obese
  • Low physical activity and exercise levels

Preventing Hypertension

One of the best ways to prevent hypertension is to make sure you have your blood pressure checked regularly by your doctor. It is recommended that Australian adults have their blood pressure checked at least every two years.

Reducing your modifiable risk factors is another simple way in which to prevent hypertension. This includes:

  • Eating a healthy diet – one that avoids processed foods and includes a variety of wholegrains and fresh fruit and vegetables every day.
  • Reducing salt intake – limited to the World Health Organization’s recommendation of <5mg (or one teaspoon) a day.
  • Limiting alcohol intake – alcohol consumption, in any amount, is associated with an increase in blood pressure. If you regularly drink alcohol, reducing your intake by even one drink per day may help to reduce your blood pressure.
  • Quit smoking – both traditional and e-cigarettes can increase your blood pressure. Reducing or quitting smoking will not only improve your blood pressure, but your overall health.
  • Getting a good night’s sleep – aim for between seven to nine hours of sleep per night.

As well as:

  • Regular exercise – including the recommended 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity five or more days per week and muscle-strengthening activities at least two days each week.
  • Maintaining a healthy weight – with a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9.
  • Reducing and/or managing stress levels and looking after your mental health – depression, anxiety and social isolation can all impact on your blood pressure, so looking after your mental health is just as important as looking after your physical health.

If you are diagnosed with hypertension, you may need to take medication in addition to lifestyle changes to help you manage the disease. The most common blood pressure medicines include:

  • ACE inhibitors
  • Angiotensin receptor blockers
  • Calcium channel blockers
  • Beta blockers
  • Diuretics

If you have any concerns about your blood pressure, heart health, or general health, make an appointment with one of our doctors at Illawarra Medical Centre. Bookings can be made online or by contacting us on (08) 9208 6400.

For more information on this topic, visit: