Get Your Blood Pressure Tested Today!
Globally, 28 000 people die every day from the consequences of hypertension (elevated blood pressure). That’s the equivalent of 70 jumbo jets crashing and killing everyone on board, making it the biggest single contributor to deaths globally according to the World Health Organisation. Clearly, nothing kills us more effectively than hypertension-raised blood pressure (BP). The good news is, regular BP checks can save lives, and Because I Say So, a public health campaign, is calling on South Africans to go and get their BP tested.
Orchestrated for the third year in a row by the International Society of Hypertension (ISH), the Southern African Hypertension Society (SAHS), and Servier; this worldwide campaign aims to refocus public attention, by encouraging young adults to motivate their parents and loved ones to get their BP checked. The campaign is being shared on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
This year the Because I Say So campaign message is even more crucial as hypertension has been identified as one of the main factors in the occurrence of more severe symptoms in patients with Covid-19. Added to this, fewer patients have been able to be diagnosed due to greater difficulties in accessing their health care practitioners since the outbreak began.
This is alarming when you consider that 44 – 46% of adults over the age of 15 in South Africa have high BP – but only 50% know they are affected. The reason so many is unaware that they have elevated BP levels is there are no symptoms and you don’t feel ill until you have a cardiac event like a heart attack.
Dr. Martin Mpe a Gauteng-based Cardiologist and president of the South African Hypertension Society explains, “High BP is acknowledged as the ‘silent killer because it’s just that. Despite there being no indications or symptoms of ill health, this invisible illness can potentially, if left unchecked, lead to serious heart disease, stroke, and even death.
Other complications can include heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, renal damage, retinal hemorrhage, and visual impairment. With relatively few people making the connection between raised BP and the devastating consequences of the illness – awareness levels need urgent attention to curb the exponential growth of the disease in South Africa.”
A BP test is the only way to find out if BP levels are elevated – a non-invasive and really quick measure that will immediately determine if levels are unacceptably high. South Africans are being reminded to go to their local pharmacy, clinic or doctor to get tested.
The frightening truth of the hypertension disease burden is the number of people with raised BP is on an upward trajectory, particularly in low and middle-income countries in Africa, with no signs of slowing down. Someone’s mother, father, husband, wife, or grandparent dies every three seconds from hypertension-related causes.
Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a dramatic increase in people with chronic diseases like hypertension, stopping their treatment. Hypertension is most often caused by a combination of hereditary influences and a poor lifestyle. You can do little about your parents or your age but you can live healthily. This includes exercise, reducing salt intake, following a good diet high in fruit and veg, no excessive alcohol consumption, maintaining an ideal weight, managing stress, and no smoking.
In the current health context, it’s even more important to raise awareness around hypertension, as this silent chronic disease is an aggravating factor for Covid-19. When one considers that a simple BP test can be instrumental in avoiding this, it clarifies the importance of collaborative public information campaigns like this and why we need to bolster awareness levels as a matter of urgency.
Mobilising South Africans to get their BP screened has never been more important. For more information visit: www.servier.co.za