Regular blood pressure measurements a year could save tens of thousands of lives

High blood pressure detect: Regular blood pressure measurements save lives

Million Federal citizens suffer from hypertension. Many know nothing of your high blood pressure. This can have dangerous consequences, because if high blood pressure untreated, increases diseases, the risk of fatal consequence. Regular blood pressure measurements are important in order to be able to high blood pressure values in time and treat recognize. The saves lives!

The heart and the vessels hold up to a high age fit

Such as the German hypertension League e. V. DHL® | German society for hypertension and prevention in a recent communication, writes, alone could be half of all strokes and heart attacks through the timely and adequate treatment of hypertension can be avoided. The experts would therefore like to world hypertension day on may 17. May 2019 pointing out that this easy way the heart and blood vessels healthy. The Motto of the action day this year: “know Your pressure”.

Dangerous long-term consequences of high blood pressure

High blood pressure is a “silent” disease that shows over years or even decades in many patients no symptoms at all. It is often referred to as the “silent Killer”.

A large part of the Affected suspects nothing of the disease caused but in the Background of dramatic vascular damage.

Long-term high blood pressure, among other things, heart attacks and strokes as well as kidney failure, retinal changes, which at worst can lead to blindness, and dementia.

The longer the high blood pressure remain undiagnosed and untreated, the higher the probability of disease for such a serious consequence. Therefore, it is important to diagnose hypertension as early as possible and treat it.

Everyone should know his blood pressure values

High blood pressure can only be through regular blood pressure is diagnosed, this is why everyone should know – whether you are young or old – his values!

“Of course, the risk for hypertension in the elderly is higher than in boys. The 60-Year-old is affected, on average, even every Second,“ says Professor Dr. Bernhard K. Krämer, Mannheim, Chairman of the Executive Board of the German hypertension League e. V. DHL® – German Association for hypertension and prevention.

“But even young people can have high blood pressure values – and if these stay on for years undiagnosed and untreated, can shorten the life expectancy of these people is strong,” explains the expert.

Regular blood pressure measurements can help, the dark figure of high blood pressure to reduce, and people with high blood pressure values in time of a therapy.

A year to 90,000 deaths avoided

According to the high-pressure League, a measurement is recommended every three years, as long as the blood pressure is within the normal range of 120-129/80-84 mm Hg, and an annual measurement, when the values are high normal, so in the range of 130-139/85-89 mm Hg).

How many lives could be saved if all adults were to measure your blood pressure values in these intervals, the Figures show:

  • Coronary heart disease (CHD), the underlying disease of the heart attack, led in 2015, according to the German heart Foundation to cases 128.230 death.
  • Current data showed that it came 2013 in Germany a total 58.556 cases of death due to stroke.
  • According to the data of the Federal Statistical office, a total of 338.700 people died in the year 2016, cardiovascular diseases, primarily heart attacks and strokes.

“We know that half of all heart attacks and strokes alone account for hypertension – optimal treatment of all people with high blood pressure values could be per year even by conservative estimates, more than 90,000 deaths avoided”, – said the Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board of the German high pressure League, Prof. Dr. Peter Trenkwalder.

“Add to that all the people of the heart attack or stroke has not tasted the life in which he has led to severe restrictions on the quality of life, e.g., by disabilities,” said the doctor.

“This shows how urgent it is, a rethinking of the population to bring about the high blood pressure values often dismiss just as indisposition. Hypertension is a serious disease with serious consequences, they must be detected early and be treated.“

The success of the therapy monitor

However, the regular measurements are not only important in order to make a timely diagnosis of hypertension, but also in the case of high blood pressure diseased people it is necessary to monitor the success of the therapy.

The high-pressure patients, it is even often a daily measurement of blood pressure to the heart. At present, only every second Patient will be treated with high blood pressure successfully.

The reasons for this are many and varied. Often the patients take their medications as prescribed.

Because hypertension is a “silent”, in many cases, even completely symptom-free disease, feel a lot of patients just as good (possibly even better!), if you do not take the tablets. You will then draw the wrong conclusion that you do not need the blood pressure-lowering drug.

Another reason is, according to the experts, that some drugs work in some patients, despite regular use as desired. Then the therapy should be changed.

Sometimes a change of climate (summer > Winter) or changed conditions – if the Patient can, for example, drift due to a broken leg is no Sport more – cause that higher doses must be prescribed to the blood pressure of a patients lower in the target area.

In some cases, but it is not necessary anyhow, on tablets, because so often high blood pressure without medication reduce.

To lower blood pressure, it is important that existing excess weight, to exercise regularly, refrain from Smoking and to eat a balanced and healthy.

“To ensure that our patients are treated to every time, is the regular measurement of blood pressure is required. Because the longer the blood shoots pressure over the target, the lower the prospect of a long, disease-free life,“ says Professor Dr. Bernhard Krämer.

Cash paid for the purchase of a blood pressure measuring device

Therefore, the statutory health insurance funds pay for initial diagnosis of high blood pressure (hypertension), the purchase of a blood pressure measuring device.

When purchasing, care should be taken that the blood pressure device bears the seal of approval of the German high pressure League.

Because many commercially available devices can provide unreliable values, the measuring devices with the DHL®seal of approval to ensure a reliable measurement.

Although there are to measure blood pressure in the meantime, also the possibilities of using their own Smartphone, but experts generally advise against this as the accuracy leaves something to be desired. (ad)