Half of people aged 30 already have high blood pressure, warns WHO

Arterial hypertension or high blood pressure is a silent disease that already affects half of Brazilians over 30 years of age. This is what the report released by the World Health Organization (WHO) points out.

Doctors warn about the risks of the disease. Cardiologist, with a postgraduate degree in Nutrology, Pietro Lima, states that high blood pressure occurs when the pressure of the blood, which is being pumped through the blood vessels, is higher than it should be.

“There are genetic factors associated with the disease, but there are also environmental factors such as a sedentary lifestyle, obesity, high consumption of foods rich in salt or processed foods, cigarette consumption, alcoholic beverages and stress.”

Pietro Lima also explains that high blood pressure generally does not cause symptoms. Only at critical levels do they appear, and when they do appear, they are already in an emergency situation.

“Symptoms of high blood pressure outside of an emergency situation are rare. But when they are present, they present themselves as a headache, pain in the back of the neck and a sensation of pressure in the neck and head. Just like in stressful situations and during exercise, high blood pressure is well tolerated, therefore, it causes few symptoms”, he explains.

Meridional’s cardiologist, Fernanda Bento, agrees and explains that the absence of symptoms occurs due to the gradual progression of the disease.

“As blood pressure usually occurs gradually, it is common for people to get used to those blood pressure levels and end up having no symptoms.”

Fernanda Bento, however, warns that high blood pressure can lead to patient death.

“Continued elevation of blood pressure levels brings several harms to health. Poorly controlled hypertension is the main cause of chronic kidney disease on dialysis. Furthermore, it can lead to heart dilation, hemorrhagic stroke or even aortic aneurysms.”

Nutritionist Thamires Favato highlights that, in prevention and treatment, the best alternatives are changing eating habits.

“It is important to maintain healthy habits, an adequate diet, control body weight, avoid becoming overweight, practice physical activity regularly, sleep well, control salt intake and take care of your mental health.”

Children are also victims of hypertension

It’s not just adults who can have high blood pressure. In Brazil, the Ministry of Health estimates that the prevalence of hypertensive patients in the pediatric population varies from 3% to 15%.

Cardiologist Diogo Barreto, coordinator of the Cardiology service at Hospital Evangélico de Vila Velha, was at Estúdio Tribuna Online and explained that, as the disease is silent, it is recommended that children’s blood pressure be measured from the age of 2 .

“Because it is silent, it is difficult to diagnose. We advise not to wait for symptoms to appear. We recommend taking measurements from the age of 2, still in pediatrics. Today we practically have an epidemic of obesity and overweight, even in children, which is closely related to diabetes and hypertension”, explains the cardiologist.

Change and quality of life

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Lawyer Luciene de Oliveira (photo), aged 58, suffered from high blood pressure. She managed to lose 47 kilos in 10 months without surgery, which controlled her blood pressure problem.

“My blood pressure reached 17 over 9. I followed up with a nutritionist on an anti-inflammatory diet, with a calorie deficit.”

She says she gained quality of life. “Before, I couldn’t drink anything with cinnamon, ginger or green tea. Today I take it calmly.”