High blood strain is the world’s best hazard aspect for demise and incapacity in line with the World Health Organisation.
With 10 million human beings demise each yr from the effects of hypertension (excessive blood strain), it’s miles vital for all network individuals to get their blood pressure checked. Representatives from the South African Hypertension Society (SAHS), Department of Health, and International Society of Hypertension (ISH) accrued in Parktown on 14 May to launch May Measurement Month – an international marketing campaign to see a boom in blood strain screening globally.
President of SAHS Martin Mpe defined that blood stress screening is the handiest manner to test for hypertension. “It is known as the silent killer due to the fact there’s not anything that you could experience to diagnose yourself with excessive blood strain,” he stated. According to the South African Demographic and Health Survey, among 44 and 46 percent of South Africans over the age of 15 have excessive blood pressure.
President of the International Society of Hypertension Alta Schutte says some of the very best blood pressures inside the world had been recorded in sub-Saharan Africa. Photo: Sarah Koning, President of ISH Alta Schutte, stated, “In South Africa, almost one in every two adults has high blood pressure. What’s more alarming is that approximately 70 in step with cent of adults in sub-Saharan Africa with hypertension aren’t aware of it.” Hypertension is most typically caused by a combination of hereditary factors and negative way of life choices. While no one can control their genes, decreased salt consumption, normal workout, no longer smoking, following a good eating regimen excessive in fruit and veggies can lessen the chance of hypertension.
President of the South African Hypertension Society Martin Mpe discusses the prevalence of high blood pressure in South Africa. Photos: Sarah Koning, Deputy director of non-communicable sicknesses at the Department of Health Itumeleng Setlhare, said that the most vital matters that humans can do to minimize danger are modified behavior and know their blood stress. “We, as South Africans, need to graduate from campaigns and get right into a way of life of screening ourselves often. It is the duty of everyone to display our health,” stated Share.
A variety of websites throughout South Africa are imparting unfastened blood strain checks for May.
Visit www.Hypertension.Org.Za to find the region and time maximum handy for you. The former also called Primary or Idiopathic hypertension, is by far the most prevalent type of hypertension. It accounts for over 90% of all hypertension cases. No clear-cut cause(s) can be identified for this accommodation type, hence the name Idiopathic.
The latter accounts for less than 10% of all cases. In this case, hypertension is secondary to an existing abnormality in one or more systems or organs of the body. The most common causes are related to kidney and hormonal problems. The persistent uncontrolled use of contraceptives, especially in females over 35years of age, falls under hormonal causes of hypertension.
Since no clear-cut cause(s) can be adduced for the most common types of hypertension, as with the case with most non-communicable diseases, we, therefore, talk in terms of ‘Risk Factors’ and not causes. These Risk Factors are actions/inactions that increase the chances of getting a disease. Several types of research have shown that some factors are directly or indirectly related to the occurrence of hypertension. Some of the factors include:
HEREDITARY: High blood pressure tends to run in some families and races. It is believed that some inherited traits predispose some people to hypertension. For example, high blood pressure tends to be more prevalent in blacks than whites.
A family history of hypertension increases one chance of high blood pressure. Regular monitoring of blood pressure becomes very vital.
HIGH SALT INTAKE: High intake of Sodium Chloride (table salt) has been linked to high blood pressure. The condition develops mostly in societies or communities with a fairly high intake of salt, exceeding 5.8grams daily. In fact, salt intake may be a critical factor about essential hypertension associated with advancing age, black racial background, hereditary susceptibility, obesity, and kidney failure. Research has shown that:
