Arterial hypertension affects more than 1/3 of the population. It is a condition where the systemic blood pressure is constantly high.
Many factors are involved in the pathogenesis of hypertension, such as genetic factors, mechanisms of neurohormonal activation, obesity and the increased intake of salt.
In the natural course of the disease, and at a first level, hypertension occurs occasionally, until it becomes permanent. After a long asymptomatic period, without any manifestations, comes the period where it clinically manifests itself in target organs – small and large blood vessels, heart, kidneys, eyes, central nervous system.
As it is known, hypertension is a major risk factor for the development of a stroke, myocardial infarction, kidney disease and vascular diseases.
According to recent guidelines of the American Heart Association, particular emphasis should be given to the prevention, early diagnosis and intervention, before the development of permanent damages in the target organs. Furthermore, strategy tools are given for the proper regulation of blood pressure, in people that already take antihypertensive medication.
Revised hypertension values according to the new guidelines of the American Heart Association.
| ARTERIAL PRESSURE | SYSTOLIC | DIASTOLIC |
| NORMAL | < 120 mmHg | < 80 mmHg |
| PREHYPERTENSION | 120-129 mmHg | < 80 mmHg |
| PREHYPERTENSION STAGE 1 | 130-139 mmHg | 80-89 mmHg |
| HYPERTENSION STAGE 1 | 140-159 mmHg | 90-99 mmHg |
| HYPERTENSION STAGE 2 | >160 mmHg | > 100 mmHg |
RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION
- Weight loss (a weight loss of 10kg leads to the decrease of the systolic arterial pressure up to 20mmHg)
- Lower your ΒΜΙ (body mass index) to ~ 25kg/m2
- Waist circumference ~ <88cm in women and < 102cm in men
- Reduce the intake of alcohol (up to 30ml daily intake for men and < 15ml daily intake for women).
- Reduce the salt intake (<2.4gr Sodium or 6gr NaCl).
- Take care that your daily Potassium intake is over 3500mg.
- Stop smoking.
- Reduce the consumption of saturated fats and trans fats and increase the fruit and vegetable consumption.
- Incorporate moderate aerobic exercise into your daily life: at least 30min of daily exercise for at least 5 days a week.
- Enrich your diet with calcium-rich and magnesium-rich foods.
- Keep a record with your measurements and note the time of every measurement.
- Do not panic if a measurement is high, just relax for a few minutes and repeat the measurement.
- Inform your Doctor in case there are fluctuations in the monitoring of arterial pressure.