Five million of us have high blood pressure… but don’t know it: Condition nation’s biggest silent killer as it has no obvious symptoms

Published: 00:53 a.m., 18 November 2014

Source: Jenny Hope, medical correspondent for mailonline.

Link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2838624/Five-million-high-blood-pressure-don-t-know-Condition-nation-s-biggest-silent-killer-no-obvious-symptoms.html

Science field: Medical field.

Summary:

More than five million people are walking around as ‘ticking time bombs’ because they have no idea they suffer from high blood pressure, warn experts. The condition has been called the nation’s biggest ‘silent killer’ as it has no obvious signs or symptoms. It is one of the most common causes of premature death and disability as it can lead to strokes, heart attacks, heart failure or even kidney failure.

Glossary:

-          Stroke: a blockage or breaking of a blood vessel that leads to the brain.

-          Kidney: one of a pair of organs in the rear of the upper abdomen that filter waste from the blood, produce uric acid or urea, and maintain water balance in the body.

-          Chairman: the officer in charge of running a meeting, etc., or the head of a board or department.

-          Blood pressure: the pressure exerted by the blood on the inner walls of the arteries, being relative to the elasticity and diameter of the vessels and the force of the heartbeat.

Review:

Thousands of people in the world don’t know that they suffer from a cardiac disease. And that causes a important problem in the society. This illness originates principally by the condition of too high blood pressure. It is one of the most common causes of premature death and disability as it can lead to strokes, heart attacks, heart failure … High blood pressure can be treated, but most of the people aren’t aware of that they suffer from it. This is why it’s got the name “silent killer”, because that person doesn’t know he is ill, and that’s because this disease doesn’t present symptoms, yet it is easily detectable, and easily treated. Despite all this, there are millions walking around with this ticking time bomb, unaware that they are at an increased risk of a potentially fatal heart attack or stroke.

High blood pressure is caused mainly because people don’t eat healthy foods and lack the activity of doing sport. This way of living is originated by the way we life in modern society itself. The origins of this undesired situation need to be solved. This includes changing the diet habits, reduce the salt intake, keep a healthy weight and not drinking too much alcohol. People at risk should monitor their blood pressure regularly and companies also should offer high-quality medical testing of their staff at work. It is essential for everyone to have regular checks and to take measures such as cutting salt intake and do more physical exercising. Following these simple tips we could prevent more than a half of strokes and many heart attacks annually in the population. 

 

 

Written by Rebeca Mees