According to the Epidemiological Studies on the Prevalence of Arterial Hypertension and Cardiovascular Risk in Romania (SEPHAR), over 60% of deaths in our country have as the main cause arterial hypertension, a condition characterized by the constant presence of a blood pressure value higher than 140/90 mm Hg. Both in maintaining normal blood pressure and in managing any stage of hypertension, the first aspect to consider is lifestyle.
Blood pressure is the pressure that the blood exerts on the walls of the arteries. The first number refers to the blood pressure during the contraction of the heart, and the second, during the relaxation of the heart muscle. Arteries are the largest blood vessels in the body. Except for the pulmonary arteries, which carry deoxygenated blood from the heart to the two lungs, the other arteries are branches of the aorta—the artery that leaves the heart with oxygenated blood to be carried to all the organs and tissues in the body. Although for a long time hypertension was diagnosed according to the value above, new studies show that cardiovascular risks (heart attack, stroke, kidney failure) increase at values lower than 140/90 mm Hg, so more health organizations agree that a normal value of blood pressure on the arteries does not exceed 129/84 mm Hg. Even if high blood pressure often produces no symptoms, many internal organs are affected by this condition: the brain, eyes, heart, kidneys, arteries. Sometimes, however, certain symptoms can also appear: most often headaches, dizziness, vertigo, but also visual disturbances, facial flushing, chest pain, nosebleeds.
Worldwide, the number of people with high blood pressure doubled between 1990 and 2019, from 650 million to 1.3 billion. The World Health Organization draws attention to the fact that approximately half of patients do not know their medical condition or the risks it entails. In 2019, Hungary and Poland were among the top countries in the world for the rate of hypertension, while Canada, Peru and Switzerland had the lowest numbers of cases.
Health guidelines urge us to monitor our blood pressure frequently, including at home, and to consult our specialist or family doctor if we notice significant changes. Devices with a high level of measurement accuracy are those that are mounted around the arm, not on the wrist or finger. For an accurate measurement, smoking, drinking alcoholic and caffeinated beverages, eating and vigorous exercise will be avoided one hour before the assessment. We relax in a sitting position for 5 minutes, with our back supported and our legs uncrossed. The hand where the measurement will be taken must be supported on a stable support, in a position that ensures the proximity of the elbow to the level of the heart. During the measurement we do not talk or laugh. After the measurement, we wait one minute, then we perform a new measurement, respecting the above conditions. If the second value is very different from the first, a third measurement is also taken and they are averaged. In case of successive registration of values higher than 130/80 mm Hg, the specialist doctor will be consulted.
Both in maintaining normal blood pressure and in managing any stage of hypertension, the first aspect to consider is lifestyle. In the case of establishing the diagnosis of hypertension, the elements of the lifestyle will be complemented by compliance with the prescribed treatment. The lifestyle elements that we should take into account are: regular aerobic physical activity, limiting the consumption of salt and alcoholic beverages, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low in saturated fat, avoiding cigarette smoke, maintaining an optimal body weight, maintaining a value of LDL-cholesterol below 100 mg/dL and HDL-cholesterol above 60 mg/dL.
A study published in November 2023, in an American scientific journal, concluded that a vegan diet (as we Orthodox Christians eat during fasting) can favor the maintenance of lower LDL-
cholesterol than the omnivorous diet. Also, participants who ate exclusively fasting foods for 8 weeks had lower insulin levels and lost an average of 2 kg compared to omnivores. We mention that the diet of both categories of participants included vegetables, fruits, legumes (beans, chickpeas, lentils, soy) and whole grains, with a low intake of sugars. The difference was that chicken, fish and dairy products were added to the omnivorous diet.
Another study, also published in November 2023 in a European medical journal, which evaluated a total of more than 15,000 people in 5 countries, demonstrated that replacing 4 to 13 minutes of sitting down with moderate-intensity activity to the sea (such as climbing stairs or brisk walking) can significantly improve cardiovascular health indicators.
