The number of consultations for hypertensive patients increased by more than 500% in Paraná in five years.
According to the State Department of Health (Sesa), between 2019 and 2023 the number increased from 868 thousand to more than 4.5 million consultations. Furthermore, the prevalence of the disease in the population of Paraná increased from 21% in 2013 to almost 23% in 2019.
Nutritionist Jhenevieve Cruvinel explains that arterial hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a multifactorial clinical condition and is mostly asymptomatic and silent.
Among the main risk factors for high blood pressure are eating habits (a lot of salt consumption), overweight and obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, alcohol and, in some cases, genetic factors.
Furthermore, it is still the main risk factor for Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD), acute myocardial infarction, stroke, chronic kidney disease and premature death.
Among the main recommendations to avoid high blood pressure is reducing salt consumption in food, which means eating less processed and industrialized foods; practicing regular physical activity; avoid alcohol consumption; and don’t smoke.
Furthermore, the nutritionist warns that self-care is a fundamental strategy for treatment, in addition to promoting quality of life and well-being.
In Brazil, according to the 2019 National Health Survey (PNS), the most recent published by the Ministry of Health, high blood pressure affects 24% of Brazilians, being more common among women (26.4%) than men ( 21.1%).
The prevalence tends to be higher with increasing age, with 52.5% among people over 60 years of age and 62% among individuals aged 75 years or over.
Reporting: Leonardo Gomes.
Tags: Hypertensionrelated care grows
