According to cardiology specialists, leading a healthy lifestyle and avoiding overweight and smoking can help control high blood pressure, which can cause alterations in breathing, circulation, dizziness and even blindness.
Experts in adult cardiology say that arterial hypertension is known as “the silent killer” because it produces no symptoms in its initial stages. “It doesn’t hurt,” they say.
Symptoms of high blood pressure
Some of the symptoms that arterial hypertension presents are:
- dyspnea on exertion and at rest
- angina pectoris
- renal insufficiency
- headache
- dizziness
- blurred vision
- blindness due to hypertensive retinopathy
How do I know if I am hypertensive?
The most effective way to know whether or not you are hypertensive is to measure your blood pressure at rest, following international standards. If the result is repeated above the limits for 3 or 4 weeks, the diagnosis will be hypertension.
Treatment of arterial hypertension
The treatment of arterial hypertension depends on the patient and the type of hypertension. If it is secondary arterial hypertension, it is necessary to go to the root of the problem to solve it. In essential arterial hypertension of unknown origin, diet and moderate physical exercise are the basic pillars of treatment.
The treatment of arterial hypertension should always be directed by a physician, who should permanently monitor the patient.
How can arterial hypertension be controlled?
To control arterial hypertension, the following healthy habits should be followed:
- Avoid overweight or obesity by eliminating high-calorie diets.
- Eliminate saturated fats and high glycemic index carbohydrates.
- Reducing salt as much as possible or eliminating it altogether
- Drinking alcohol in moderation
- No smoking
If these measures fail to control arterial hypertension, pharmacological agents such as diuretics, beta-blockers, angiotensin inhibitors and antagonists, calcium antagonists and others with very effective actions and acceptable tolerance should be used.