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What About Hypertension In WomenIs a colour or a sex issue? It would appear it might be! Hypertension is the single biggest factor in heart disease and stroke in Afro-Caribbean’s. This may be explained by the salt rich diet traditionally enjoyed by this community. Native Americans also have a tendency towards higher blood pressure than their white neighbors. In poor disadvantaged neighborhoods, the rate of increases due in part to the poor diet but also the stress of living in these conditions. Race, diet and culture play a part in most illnesses that have a strong genetic link such as hypertension. If your parents or grandparents suffered from high blood pressure then the chances are that you are genetically predisposed to this illness. You need to schedule a check up with your doctor and advise the practice about your family history. What about women and hypertension? If you were to conduct a survey on women and asked them which illness was most likely to kill them, you would probably hear Breast cancer or Ovarian cancer. While these diseases are obviously real threats to women, you are statistically more likely to die from heart disease than any form of cancer. Around one woman in every 7 to 8 women will die of breast cancer – while one in every two women will die of heart disease. Why does this happen? There are a number of reasons but they include the following: We are conditioned to believe that a heart attack will be preceded by chest pain or shooting pains down your left arm – have you not seen it in the movies? While these are symptoms of heart attacks, they are the symptoms that in general are seen in men. Women are more likely to feel a general sense of being unwell which they cannot explain. They may feel depressed and lethargic. Doctors have historically treated these symptoms with antidepressants and sleeping pills. Women traditionally are the caregivers in the family environment and in today’s hectic lifestyle many women are trying to combine careers, homes and raising children. They don’t have time to eat never mind worry about their health. In addition it is usually women who will look after birth control – taking the oral contraceptive can increase your blood pressure particularly if you were already overweight. You should seriously consider alternatives to the Pill, if you have a family history of hypertension, developed it whilst pregnant or are already battling with your weight. Women also tend to put on weight as they get older and increased weight and poor diet leads to illnesses like diabetes which can be linked to heart disease. If you feel unwell, please don’t wait – go and see your doctor and request that he check your blood pressure. Remember, the majority of symptoms of high blood pressure are too subtle at first to be noticeable. Do not wait until you become really ill – that is of no benefit to you or our family. You are allow to drill more information without border: 
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Written by : Aldo Harris |
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