High blood pressure is considered a silent killer.
It causes potentially fatal diseases such as stroke or heart attack.
But there is also an encouraging message from doctors about the widespread disease.
Munich –
"We have it in our own hands to improve our readings - in many cases even without pills," says Munich preventive medicine specialist Prof. Martin Halle from the University Hospital Rechts der Isar.
The effect is far greater than many people think.
The magic words are nutrition, exercise and lifestyle.
Important adjustment screws in everyday life, because high blood pressure is considered a widespread disease of superlatives: around 20 to 30 million Germans are affected, in the age group 70 plus three out of four seniors have critical values.
Elevated blood pressure (hypertension) leads to 9.4 million deaths worldwide, reports the Robert Koch Institute.
There are no specific figures for Germany, but one thing is undisputed: high blood pressure is one of the greatest risk factors for fatal cardiovascular diseases.
The vascular damage occurs gradually
A blood pressure of 120/80 mmHG is considered optimal.
The abbreviation mmHg is the unit of measurement for blood pressure.
Only from 140/90 do doctors speak of mild hypertension in adults, in the further course the extent of the disease is measured in three degrees of severity.
Even slightly elevated readings can be dangerous in the long run.
Numerous studies have shown this.
Chinese scientists analyzed the data of 760,000 patients.
Result: The risk of a heart attack almost doubles at values between 130/85 and 139/89.
In patients with mild hypertension (120/80 to 140/90), the risk of stroke increased statistically by 66 percent.
"Nevertheless, many people take their elevated readings lightly," says Halle.
“High blood pressure does not cause any symptoms for a long time.
Damage to the vascular system occurs gradually, developing over ten to 15 years.
By the time they are discovered, they are often far advanced.”
Widespread disease high blood pressure: Many people take medication for it
To prevent this from happening, many people take medication.
Experts estimate that hypertensive patients in Germany swallow over 15 billion tablets every year.
Three out of four patients manage to get their values under control.
"With a clever treatment strategy consisting of medication and lifestyle changes, blood pressure can even be reduced from very high values to the normal range," says Halle.
Diet in particular has a decisive influence.
In old age, excessive salt consumption in particular can tip the scales.
“Salt gets into the bloodstream and binds water.
This increases blood volume and, as a result, blood pressure,” explains Halle.
There is a lot of salt in sausage, cheese and bread.
"Even two slices of wholemeal bread cover the salt requirement for a whole day," warns Halle.
Low-salt baked goods are hard to come by.
Halle recommends that people with critical blood pressure limit consumption and avoid sausage, cheese and bread at least one day a week.
Exercise is just as important.
"You can train the blood vessels," explains Halle: "When you move, the blood circulates stronger and faster in the body.
It brushes past the vessel walls, thereby promoting their elasticity.
“Regularity is key.
Better to train more often for shorter periods.
According to studies, six times ten minutes of exercise bring more than twice 30 minutes, says Halle.
Brisk walking or brisk cycling, cross-country skiing or ice skating are all suitable.
As with everything, don't overdo it.
“Exercise moderately, increase the load slowly,” advises Halle.
If you want to start exercising, you should have a doctor check you up beforehand.
Lower blood pressure naturally – without any medication: Eleven foods that help
Lower blood pressure naturally – without any medication: Eleven foods that help
You're never too old to exercise - not even in a retirement home.
Scientists from the Technical University of Munich are currently researching how effective regular training is for the very old.
After just a few weeks of training, Halle says, blood pressure can drop by around ten mmHg.
Excess pounds often tumble.
"Whoever takes the first step has already won," says Halle.
Even fit people can get hypertension
But even thin or well-trained amateur and competitive athletes are not immune to high blood pressure.
"It can happen that the measured values are correct when at rest, but are far too high under load," says Halle.
The fact that well-trained people have high blood pressure can be due to an overactive thyroid gland and malfunctioning of the kidneys and/or adrenal glands.
“In some cases there is no organic reason at all.
Despite a great deal of knowledge, the origin of hypertension has still not been fully deciphered,” reports the scientist.
In addition to diet and exercise, lifestyle is an important factor.
Stress and lack of sleep in particular are poison for blood pressure.
“The increased stress hormones lead to a faster pulse, stronger contraction of the heart muscle and constriction of the blood vessels in the body.
All factors that increase blood pressure,” explains Halle.
Snoring can play a role in sleep deprivation.
Breathing pauses can lead to extreme increases in blood pressure during the night, Halle warns.
Studies have shown that breathing pauses can enormously increase the risk of a stroke or heart attack.