Blood pressure - we ALL have it !

[Arthur Little]

Thanks, Alan for your latest update on an extremely IMPORTANT
topic, which - as you've pointed out - affects us ALL.

Because I'm diabetic, my own blood pressure's monitored on a regular basis. And it has to be said, I am very fortunate, in that, almost invariably, the health professionals treating me remark on how *good mine is for someone of my years - *this in spite of my mother needing to take tablets for HBP from the age of 48 ... up until her passing at eighty-four.

Perhaps, as I say, I've just been lucky in that respect. Who knows? But then ... ... at the same time, I'm well aware there're far too many others for whom hypertension remains a very real problem! So once again,

[Doc Alan]

Thanks, Alan for your latest update on an extremely IMPORTANT
topic, which - as you've pointed out - affects us ALL.

Arthur is sadly missed. I was lucky to meet him and his wife Myrna in a "Forum meeting" at Scarborough a few years ago.

A recent study in "The Lancet" of worldwide trends in hypertension claimed that the number of people aged 30-79 with hypertension doubled from 1990 to 2019 ( https://www.thelancet.com/action/sho...2821%2901330-1 ).

Around a third of adults worldwide are thought to have hypertension, with a decrease in high income countries and an increase in other countries such as the Philippines ( almost 2/5 in 2021, see https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news...in-2021/story/ ).

An estimated 8.5 million worldwide deaths / year from complications of hypertension could be reduced through better control of blood pressure.

There are often NO symptoms, and they're not specific even if present :-
*headaches
*dizziness
*blurred vision
*nosebleeds
*shortness of breath
*chest pain

The only way of knowing you have hypertension is to have a blood pressure test. While this may be done at GP surgeries, pharmacies or work places, it may be more convenient to check blood pressure at home. Monitors are cheap, from around £20 in the UK.

"Lifestyle changes" ( healthy diet with reduced salt, exercise, no smoking or excess alcohol ) may help prevent and lower high blood pressure.

One or more blood pressure medicines may also be needed to keep blood pressure under control.