Hypertension – High blood pressure
High blood pressure, also referred to as hypertension, is a disease of the cardiovascular system. Elevated blood pressure occurs primarily in industrialized nations. About 20 million people in Germany suffer from elevated values. The risk of developing high blood pressure increases with age.
But it can also occur at a young age. Lack of exercise and obesity are mainly responsible for it. The number of children and adolescents affected is growing steadily.
Initially, high blood pressure (hypertension) does not cause any symptoms. For this reason, those affected usually do not even notice at the beginning that they belong to this group of patients. This can become dangerous. High blood pressure should be treated as early as possible, as it can cause damage to the eyes, kidneys, brain and heart if left untreated.
The risk of suffering a heart attack, heart failure (cardiac insufficiency), stroke, kidney weakness and vision problems increases considerably.
In Germany, diseases of the cardiovascular system account for almost half of all deaths. Only if high blood pressure, which is considered an important risk factor, is detected and reduced at an early stage can secondary diseases be delayed or prevented.
Hypertension and the use of a blood pressure monitor
A blood pressure monitor is used to obtain reliable information about the function of the circulatory system and the heart. Blood pressure measurement is a risk-free and simple examination. Blood pressure is the pressure in the arteries of the body’s circulatory system. This fluctuates between the systolic (maximum) and diastolic (minimum) values.
A blood pressure monitor from medplus24 usually consists of an inflatable rubber cuff that is placed on the upper arm or leg. In addition, there are devices for measurement at the wrist. Experts recommend the devices for measurement on the upper arm, as they provide reliable values even when used by oneself.
The cuff is connected here in each case with a manometer. It is pumped up until no more blood can pass through it. Then air is released, the pressure in the cuff decreases. At a certain pressure, the heart presses blood into the artery again. A stethoscope is then placed in the crook of the arm to listen to the flow sounds in the artery.
The optimal blood pressure is 120 (systolic) to 80 (diastolic). A blood pressure monitor can detect both too high and too low blood pressure. The latter must also be treated by a doctor. In the case of high blood pressure, the systolic value rises to over 140 mmHg and the diastolic value to over 90 mmHg.
Basically, a measurement should always be taken several times. Especially at the beginning of a treatment, tension and nervousness can falsify the results. The values are determined at rest and/or under stress on several days, as they can fluctuate during mental and physical exertion as well as during sleep.
