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Systemic arterial hypertension recognized by the acronym SAH, also popularly known as high blood pressure, is a chronic disease, characterized by increased blood pressure . Through research carried out by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) the disease has been growing steadily every year, affecting people of all ages and becoming one of the main causes of serious health complications.
What Values Consider High Blood Pressure?
Altered high blood pressure values are considered to be greater than or equal to 140 / 90mmHg and hypertension is diagnosed when these values remain constant for a period. Systolic and diastolic pressure should always be checked for confirmation. These values are verified through measurement with specific devices , which can be the sphygmomanometer together with a stethoscope or digital devices that can even be purchased at pharmacies and drugstores with very affordable price, facilitating the monitoring and measurement even at home.
What is Systolic Pressure and Diastolic Pressure?
During the heartbeat, it pumps blood through the arteries and distributes it throughout the body. This function causes pressure under the arteries, and is called systolic blood pressure. Diastolic pressure, on the other hand, is the indication of pressure in the arteries between one beat and another, called rest (1,2 and 3).
References for Blood Pressure and Indication of Systemic Arterial Hypertension
The references below are of an adult person, above 18 years old, who are classified in 1,2 and 3.
- Optimal Pressure : Systolic pressure <120 and diastolic pressure <80 – 12 X 8
- Normal Pressure : Systolic pressure <130 and diastolic pressure <85 – 13 X 8
- Borderline pressure: systolic pressure 130-139 and diastolic pressure 85-89
- Stage 1 hypertension : Systolic pressure 140-159 and diastolic pressure 90-99
- Stage 2 hypertension : Systolic pressure 160-179 and diastolic pressure 100-109
- Stage 3 hypertension : Systolic pressure = 180 and diastolic pressure = 110
- Hypertension with isolated systolic : systolic pressure = 140 and diastolic pressure <90
How and When to Measure Blood Pressure
Blood pressure should always be checked at routine appointments . If you are part of the risk groups, care must be even greater and watch carefully for any different symptom. If you already have cases in the family of systemic arterial hypertension, check your blood pressure whenever possible to ensure that everything is under control.
In hypertensive patients, blood pressure measurement should be checked at least once a week. In people considered healthy, once a year in routine consultations, unless you notice any different symptoms in the body, such as constant dizziness, headache, nausea and blurred vision.
As for the best way to measure, ensuring that the values are correct and adequate, there are some tips to ideally measure blood pressure. The most recommended are:
- Measure preferably in the morning while still fasting;
- After urinating;
- Be at rest for at least 5 minutes, without efforts;
- Be seated and keep your arm paralyzed during the measurement.
The consumption of some drinks such as coffee and even the consumption of alcohol and cigarettes before measuring blood pressure can cause changes in the values . When checking the pressure, it is necessary to be calm, at rest, without crossing your legs, talking and breathing calmly while the device performs the verification.
The arm must be supported and always at heart level , remembering that the clamp on the meter must be suitable for the size of the arm. In the case of obese people, the measurement can be performed on the forearm, thus ensuring a correct assessment of blood pressure. There is the option of devices that do the verification through the fingers, but this is not indicated as the most reliable device, since the blood pressure of the fingers and limbs at the extremities of the body is different from the rest of the body, and therefore it can give an incorrect value.
Blood pressure can be checked during medical consultations, emergency rooms, some pharmacies or at home, using portable devices that can be purchased at pharmacies and drugstores.
Systemic Arterial Hypertension Risk Group
As with any disease, it is not possible to predict who, how and when it will appear, but in the case of hypertension it is possible to have an alert, if you are part of the risk group for the disease. Some people are more likely to develop the disease, including:
- Obese;
- Alcoholics;
- Feeding with excess salt;
- Sedentary;
- Smokers;
- Elderly;
- People with a family history of hypertension
Other factors such as gender and ethnicity also fall into the risk group, since hypertension in the vast majority of cases occurs in black men and individuals or those with mixed ethnicities. People with changes in cholesterol and triglyceride levels are also at risk.
Complications of Systemic Arterial Hypertension
The main complications of systemic arterial hypertension are between stroke, infarction, chronic kidney disease and even muscle atrophy of the heart, which causes cardiac arrhythmia. It is worth noting that high blood pressure, because it causes changes in the whole organism, and does not present only immediate but long-term risks, such as complications in the eyes until loss of vision.
One of the most worrying aggravating factors, especially in men of childbearing age and who have not yet formed a family, is that of sexual impotence or erectile dysfunction as it is called by medicine. Systemic arterial hypertension, if not treated correctly, can cause irreversible damage to health, including fertility, especially among men. For the erection of the penis to occur, it is necessary that the blood flow in the area of the penis is normal , since it is responsible for the stiffness of the limb. Adequate blood flow makes the penis erect and is maintained throughout sexual intercourse. With this flow interrupted or happening in an altered way, erectile dysfunction occurs.
If you intend to have an active and healthy sex life, worry about your health and always do the treatment recommended by your doctor. Change your habits by adopting a healthy diet, physical exercise and a more peaceful routine.
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My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.
