By the year 2010 more South Africans will die from heart-related conditions than from Aids. More than 6 million South Africans suffer from high blood pressure, a very high risk factor for heart disease – and this figure is on the increase.

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And yet fewer than one out of every five people with high blood pressure receive treatment of any kind. Even amongst those being treated, high blood pressure is not always sufficiently controlled.

High blood pressure is one of the highest risk factors for heart attacks and strokes. Blood pressure depends on the amount of blood that the heart pumps out with each contraction, as well as the ease with which this blood flows through even the smallest blood vessels. The narrower the blood vessels, the more difficult it is for the blood to flow through these and the higher the blood pressure gets.

In many cases where people have been diagnosed with high blood pressure and they are receiving treatment, the patient’s high blood pressure is not controlled nearly well enough. Contrary to popular opinion, high blood pressure often occurs in younger people.

The extent of the problem

Several community studies done by the Medical Research Council (MRC) showed that one out of every four people between the ages of 15 and 64 suffer from high blood pressure. Unhealthy lifestyle habits and eating habits play a great role in the developing of high blood pressure, according to Dr Krisela Steyn, MRC researcher and project leader of several studies concerning blood pressure.

High blood pressure is also fast emerging as a problem among the black population as this group becomes urbanised and adopts a Western diet and lifestyle.

More than 6,2 million South Africans have blood pressure higher than 140/90 mm Hg. More than 3,2 million of these have blood pressure higher than 160/95 mm Hg, a level, which is unacceptably high, according to researchers.

High blood pressure is only under control if it is kept under a level of 140/90 mm Hg by means of treatment. Many doctors are wrongly of the opinion that levels of 160/90 mm Hg translate to good control of blood pressure levels, but anything above 140/90 mm Hg could lead to gradual organ damage.

According to a recent MRC study, many doctors ignore the SA Hypertension Association’s guidelines for the most effective hypertension drugs and too easily prescribe newer hypertension drugs (ACE inhibitors and calcium antagonists) even though studies have not yet proven that these drugs prevent long term complications of high blood pressure effectively.

Patients who cease taking their medication because of unpleasant side effects, must be made aware of the consequences of uncontrolled blood pressure.

High blood pressure can mostly be controlled by medication, together with a healthy diet, weight loss for overweight people, sufficient mild exercise, limiting alcohol consumption and by stopping smoking.

Support:

The Heart Foundation of South Africa in Cape Town at (021) 510 6262; in Gauteng at (011) 886-0956/7, in KwaZulu/Natal at (031) 2060022 and in the Eastern Cape at (041) 33 8113. Tollfree: The Heart Mark diet line at 0800-22-3222.

Mari Hudson, Editor Health24

Read more:
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Am I at risk for hypertension?

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