Questions and answers

My blood pressure is too high – what should I know?

Dr. Christian Maté is a general practitioner in Vienna and looks after KroneMED for you.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Copyright Bild Mate: Christoph Hopf Copyright Stock Foto: WavebreakMediaMicro)

Hypertension is the most important risk factor for heart attacks and strokes. So it really does pay to lower high levels. Dr. Christian Mate, a general practitioner, has all the information and contact points for you here and on KroneMED. 

Because high blood pressure (hypertension) doesn't hurt, many sufferers find it difficult to stick to their treatment. As a GP, I see it as my job to motivate patients to take their medication consistently as prescribed and to monitor the success of their treatment by regularly measuring themselves. If you lower your upper blood pressure by 5 mmHg, you reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke by around 10 percent!

Good to know

The optimum blood pressure is below 120/80 and high blood pressure starts at 140/90. The minimum target for treatment is a blood pressure below 140/90.

Influenceable risk factors for high blood pressure are

• Smoking,
• Obesity (morbid overweight),
• a diet high in salt (more than 3 g/day),
• high alcohol and/or caffeine consumption,
• lack of exercise,
• emotional stress and
• lack of sleep (less than 7 hours per night).

Factors that cannot be influenced are older age and family risk.

To reduce salt, fewer ready meals, processed foods, salt when cooking and adding salt at the table should be consumed, while fresh and unprocessed foods should be preferred.

Where to go for hypertension
The GP is the first port of call for the diagnosis and treatment of high blood pressure. They will also measure your blood pressure during your check-up. This is always about your overall risk of cardiovascular disease, which is made up of factors such as obesity, smoking and high blood pressure.

As the value measured in the surgery is often higher than the value measured at home, your GP will encourage you to measure your blood pressure yourself and may give you a blood pressure diary. Good measuring devices (measurement on the upper arm) are available for around 30 euros. If the results of the self-measurement show high blood pressure, i.e. above 140/90 mmHg, your GP will prescribe medication to lower your blood pressure and advise you on how you can help to lower your blood pressure through lifestyle measures.

Measuring your blood pressure can be very simple.

(Bild: Prostock-studio - stock.adobe.com)

If you suspect that your high blood pressure is the result of a certain underlying disease, your GP can refer you to a specialist in internal medicine (internist). He or she can then carry out further tests, such as a 24-hour blood pressure measurement, and adjust the treatment if necessary. You will be given a portable device that automatically takes repeated measurements. This allows the average daytime and night-time values to be determined.

The health telephone 1450 for health questions, even at night and at weekends. You can also find out about common health issues in the GP practice at kronemed.at . The health portal at www.gesundheit.gv.at also provides a comprehensive range of information on the Internet.

Therapeutic approaches
Those affected by hypertension can benefit from various approaches. Dieticians can tell you which foods contain salt traps and how you can eat a low-salt, healthy diet to lower your blood pressure. Exercise also helps against high blood pressure: physiotherapists will show you simple strength exercises and draw up a training plan for regular, moderate endurance training. In specialized rehabilitation clinics, risk factors such as obesity, diabetes and lipometabolic disorders are combated in special programs. However, regular medication is often essential for those affected.

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