High blood pressure: adopting a healthy lifestyle

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Extract from the article: High blood pressure is the most common reason why Togolese people consult a doctor. It increases the risk of stroke, heart attack and kidney failure. As most people who suffer from it have no symptoms, it is important to check your blood pressure reg

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High blood pressure is the most common reason why Togolese people consult a doctor. It increases the risk of stroke, heart attack and kidney failure. As most people who suffer from it have no symptoms, it is important to check your blood pressure regularly. To help bring high blood pressure back to normal, it is recommended to eat healthy foods, watch your weight, limit salt intake, be physically active, reduce stress and reduce or avoid alcohol.

Medication is not automatic. Experts from the American Heart Association have shared new guidelines for healthcare professionals in which they recommend at least 6 months of adherence to a healthy lifestyle for patients with slightly elevated blood pressure before ‘moving on to medication’. These new guidelines were published in the journal ‘Hypertension’.

Reassessment after 6 months

Patients with stage 1 hypertension are those with systolic blood pressure between 140 and 159 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure between 90 and 99 mm Hg. They are generally young adults and the risk of cardiovascular events is low. The markers and symptoms are also mild, whether it be coronary calcium levels, cardiac hypertrophy or atherosclerosis in the arteries of the neck. Healthcare professionals generally recommend lifestyle changes to reduce blood pressure, but this is done in addition to medication to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular problems. For the first time, guidelines are recommending starting with lifestyle changes before considering prescribing medication.

Researchers recommend that patients with stage 1 hypertension and a low risk (estimated at less than 10%) of heart attack or stroke within 10 years should start by reviewing their lifestyle before having their blood pressure checked again six months later.

Adopting a healthy lifestyle involves several steps. First, maintaining an ideal weight, with a BMI between 18.5 and 25. Next, engaging in moderate to vigorous physical activity every day for at least 30 minutes.

This also includes controlling one's diet by adopting a healthy, balanced diet, increasing potassium intake and reducing saturated fats and fatty acids. It is also necessary to pay attention to salt intake, which, if too high, negates the benefits of a healthy diet. Finally, patients are advised to limit their alcohol consumption and not to smoke.

Jean ELI