Research conducted by the University of Oxford in the UK has revealed that controlling high blood pressure, when combined with changes in habits, can extend life by up to 14 years – or at least eliminate the excess risk of premature death associated with high blood pressure.
The study, which followed about 71,000 people with high blood pressure over 13 years and 7 months, showed that the more risk factors were controlled, the lower the risk of early death – even compared to people without high blood pressure.
At the beginning of the investigation, researchers defined “premature death” as death before the age of 80, a range within which the risk could be adjusted.
Among participants with hypertension, each additional controlled factor (eg, body mass index, waist circumference, LDL cholesterol, HbA1c, albuminuria, smoking, or physical activity) reduced the risk of premature death by 13% for death from any cause, 12% for cancer, and 21% for cardiovascular disease.
Along the way, the researchers found that those with high blood pressure who controlled at least four of these factors reached a risk of death similar to that of people without high blood pressure. Perfect control — with six or more stable factors — was associated with a 55% reduction in the risk of early death from all causes.
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High blood pressure, also known as high blood pressure, is a disease that attacks the heart, blood vessels, eyes and brain and can significantly affect the kidneys. This occurs when the pressure is often higher than 140 to 90 mm Hg
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Apart from the genetic problem, factors such as alcohol and cigarette consumption, large amounts of salt, obesity, high cholesterol, diabetes, advanced age, stress and a sedentary lifestyle can also affect blood pressure levels.
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Dizziness, blurred vision, headache or neck pain are the main symptoms associated with the disease. In general, these discomforts appear when the pressure rises quickly
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Other common symptoms in people with high blood pressure are: ringing in the ears, double or blurred vision, pain in the back of the neck and head, drowsiness, palpitations, nausea, and small spots of blood in the eyes.
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High blood pressure is responsible for serious health problems such as stroke, heart failure and vision loss. If you suspect you have the disease, it is recommended to measure your blood pressure with your own device, at home or at the pharmacy.
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Although dangerous, high blood pressure can be controlled. Healthy habits such as physical exercise, healthy eating, avoiding situations that can cause stress, reducing alcohol consumption, keeping weight and cholesterol under control, and avoiding medications that increase blood pressure (such as caffeine, antidepressants, and corticosteroids) can help control blood pressure.
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When any symptoms appear, you should consult a cardiologist. Since this disease has no cure and can cause cardiovascular problems, early diagnosis significantly reduces more serious and irreversible cases.
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Only a specialist is able to diagnose cases of high blood pressure and determine the necessary treatment to reduce the symptoms and consequences of the disease. In general, the use of medications and rest is indicated.
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However, if the pressure remains higher than indicated, i.e. 140/90 mmHg after 1 hour, the patient should immediately seek hospital care for intravenous antihypertensive agents.
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Beyond the numbers, what the study suggests more broadly is that treatment for high blood pressure should not be limited to medications or blood pressure alone.
A multidimensional approach is suggested, where a combination of controlled blood pressure, appropriate weight, normal waist size, controlled cholesterol, regular physical activity and non-smoking neutralizes the effect of high blood pressure on life expectancy. In other words: high blood pressure ceases to be a “sentence” if these factors are well managed.
Although the study is observational and includes mostly adults of European descent, the sample size and long follow-up period make the results robust. However, the authors point out that they did not take into account changes in these factors over time, i.e. the risk status may have developed after initial enrollment.
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