Many diseases can occur in our body without any symptoms. High blood pressure, also known as high blood pressure or hypertension, is classified as such a disease. As a result, many patients do not realize that their blood pressure has been high for a long time and the disease process continues until complications arise. After the complications become more severe, then symptoms such as chest pain or shortness of breath (complications to the heart), urination disorders or skin becomes dry and pale (complications to the kidneys), and visual disturbances (complications to the eyes). These complications even quite often can not return to normal conditions before the illness. Nevertheless, thankfully most cases can still be repaired and controlled as long as it is treated properly. Based on the things above, hypertension is known as the "silent killer" (a disease that occurs silently and suddenly can kill, for example due to a fatal heart attack or stroke).
Given how dangerous hypertension is, then you need to detect it early. There are several questions about hypertension to be of concern to you personally and to your family, relatives, or society in general. These questions can be more easily remembered with the abbreviation: “TENSIKU”.
TEN: What is my blood pressure?
First of all, of course, you have to know the value of your blood pressure by measuring with a sphygmomanometer. When did you start needing to know it? From the age of 18 years and over, everyone is encouraged to start checking their blood pressure. Do not wait for symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, and so on; because all that can not be an accurate benchmark. In fact, measurements with a sphygmomanometer must follow the correct procedure and often have to be repeated in the clinic or at home to ensure an accurate diagnosis. So, know your blood pressure from now on before it's too late, so that treatment can be done as early as possible and can provide optimal results in the future.
SI: How high is my blood pressure?
We need to remember the results of the measured blood pressure values. There are always 2 values that are considered, namely the upper value (systolic blood pressure) and the lower value (diastolic blood pressure). Systolic values 140 mmHg and/or diastolic values 90 mmHg are considered high when confirmed from several examinations. Moreover, if the blood pressure value reaches 180/110 mmHg in one examination, it is considered very high and needs immediate treatment. If you get a systolic value of 130-139 mmHg and/or 85-89 mmHg, it actually includes pre-hypertension, which requires a healthy lifestyle intervention to prevent the development of hypertension in the future. So, it is very important to know how high your blood pressure is because it will determine the next treatment.
KU : Are there any special conditions for my treatment ?
Treatment of high blood pressure is not enough just to take hypertension medication alone. There are two reasons. First, healthy lifestyle interventions are also important to optimize blood pressure reduction, such as reducing consumption of salt and unhealthy fats, increasing portions of fruit and vegetables, and stopping smoking or drinking alcohol. So, taking hypertension medication needs to be accompanied by changes to a healthy lifestyle. Second, there are special conditions that cause the choice of hypertension drug to differ from one patient to another. Hypertension drugs with cardiac complications are different from the treatment of hypertension in general. Likewise, if kidney complications occur, the drug can be different from the usual hypertension therapy. In fact, some patients may need more than 3 drugs to control their blood pressure. Not to mention if it is found that hypertension is associated with other diseases (such as thyroid or adrenal disease), it is necessary to add special drugs according to the cause. Side effects of hypertension drugs also need to be considered and each patient's response can be different. Where did you find all that stuff from? Consult a qualified doctor and follow the appropriate therapy guidelines. The hope is that the treatment you are undergoing can provide more results than just lowering blood pressure, but can protect your health from heart, kidney, and other complications.