What you need to know about hypertension and hypotension

What is high blood pressure?
Normal blood pressure is considered to be 120/80 mmHg or lower. A blood pressure reading of >120/180 mmHg is considered to be higher.
When you have high blood pressure, your doctor will advise you on how you can contribute to lowering your blood pressure through lifestyle changes, and also prescribe medication to help lower your blood pressure.
How common is high blood pressure?
More than 150 000 Namibians of 15 years or older suffer from high blood pressure, of whom 50 000 are undiagnosed, and even more inadequately treated. Of all these people, only 2 to 3 out of 10 men and 5 out of 10 women know they have high blood pressure. Only 1 out of 10 men and 1 to 2 out of 10 women have their blood pressure sufficiently lowered to prevent the risk of developing trouble with their heart, brain or kidneys.
Why should it be treated?
High blood pressure is a silent killer, because it usually has no symptoms. Some people may not know that they have hypertension until they have trouble with their heart, brain or kidneys. High blood pressure places you at risk of heart disease. The higher the blood pressure, the greater the risk will be of a heart attack, stroke, heart failure or kidney disease.
What are the possible consequences?
Treatment of high blood pressure has been proven to reduce the risk of a heart attack by up to 25 %, risk of a stroke by up to 40 %, and the risk of heart failure by more than 50 %.
What can I do?
·Be more physically active
·Lose extra weight
·Cut down on salt
·Eat more fruit and vegetables
·Moderate your alcohol consumption
·Stop smoking
Symptoms of low blood pressure are:
Dizziness, fainting, unusual thirst, or fatigue. For many people, chronic low blood pressure can be effectively treated with diet and lifestyle changes. This includes:
·Eat a diet higher in salt
·Drink lots of non-alcoholic fluids
·Drink more fluids during hot weather and while sick with a viral illness, such as a cold or the flu.
·Have your doctor evaluate your prescription and over-the-counter medications to identify any that may be causing your symptoms.
·Get regular exercise to promote blood flow.
·Eat small, regular meals.
·If needed, use elastic support (compression) stockings that cover the calf and thigh. These may help restrict blood flow to the legs, thus keeping more blood in the upper body.