Think of something that sneaks into your house without you knowing, get access to your safe, steals your money and your pistol, and then pulls the trigger at you!
Alright! Enough! I guess I’ve been watching too much of action movies! But this is exactly what this disease does. It’s HYPERTENSION!!!
If you’re under forty and you’re about to leave this page because of the common misconception that hypertension is a disease of older people, then I’m sorry to inform you that you just opened the door to the Silent killer yourself!!!
Let’s get the facts right.
- What is hypertension
- Who is at risk
- Is it preventable
- Is it treatable?
- If my parents had hypertension, do I automatically have it?
So many myths mixed with truth! In simple words, I will say that hypertension is like having too much pressure inside your blood vessels! That’s why we call it high blood pressure.
And of the so many possible causes of hypertension, the real cause is unknown 95% of the time!!! See why it’s a silent guy.
But if you’re obese, or you smoke, or you have parents who had hypertension, or you eat a high salt diet, then your risks are higher!!!
Thankfully, it is preventable if the modifiable risks are eliminated. You can’t choose who your parents are obviously! But you can shed some weight, reduce your salt consumption, stress yourself less and quit smoking! These will go a long way in making sure that you’re less likely to get hypertension.
And finally, a regular medical check up at the local clinic wouldn’t hurt. In fact, you can get your blood pressure checked in less than 5 minutes. This is the number one way to catch this silent killer and nip it in the bud once and for all!
If you’ve been told that your Blood pressure is on the high side, don’t fret nor panic. If the doctors prescribed medications, then use them diligently. If they advised lifestyle modifications, then count yourself very lucky. It just means your BP can return back to normal if you make the right changes to your lifestyle!
And if you’re NOT hypertensive, like most of the people reading this article, then forward this to your friends and contacts! You just might be “blowing the whistle” on the Silent killer!
Save a life… Share good information
By
Dr Osunlusi Olufemi
MBBS Lagos
EnGw 