Young men do not know about their hypertension

Often, young men do not know about their hypertension

09/12/2014

Although it is known that high blood pressure is one of the greatest health risks in the Western world, many young men often do not know that they have high blood pressure. This shows a recent study on the situation in Germany. The disease should not be taken lightly.

One of the biggest health risks in the Western world
High blood pressure (hypertension) is one of the biggest health risks in the Western world. Among other things, excessive blood pressure burdens the vascular system, speeds up the development of arteriosclerosis and is one of the risk factors for heart attack and stroke. As „The standard“ A recent study shows that the situation in Germany is slowly improving, but the growing number of young men with high blood pressure is worrying. The results of the investigation have now been published in the journal „Journal of Human Hypertension“ released.

More people know about their high blood pressure
The scientists from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) compared data on the blood pressure of around 7,100 adults from Germany in 1998 with the years 2008 to 2011 for the study. On average, blood pressure has therefore fallen. „We are particularly pleased that the proportion of those who have high blood pressure and know about it has risen significantly, from 69 to 82 percent“, said Thomas Unger, director of the CARIM School for Cardiovascular Diseases at the University of Maastricht.

Men between the ages of 18 and 29 are worried
In addition, more people were now treated with hypertension. According to the study, their share increased from 55 to 72 percent. However, the experts are worried about the increase in hypertension in men aged 18 to 29 years. This increase is probably due to the fact that more and more men are overweight in this age group. Overweight or obesity is one of the most important risk factors for hypertension in addition to lack of exercise, unhealthy diet, stress and increased alcohol consumption. „Especially young people often live with hypertension for a long time before they learn about their illness and go into medical treatment“, explained Martin Hausberg of the German High Pressure League.

Natural remedies for high blood pressure
In addition to medicines, various home remedies for hypertension are available. Among others, herbs such as hawthorn blossom, lemon balm leaves, mistletoe, horsetail or valerian root are mentioned here. Also relaxation techniques, which serve the stress reduction, are helpful. Some also swear by essential oils to lower blood pressure. However, when used in an aroma lamp, care should be taken to ensure that there are no persons in the same room prone to hypotension (low blood pressure).

Untreated high blood pressure can be dangerous
If high blood pressure remains untreated, this can have serious health consequences. Thus, in addition to the risk of heart attack and stroke, the disease can also damage the kidneys and reduce potency and libido. Hausberg clarified the significance of the current study on the occasion of the 38th scientific congress of the German Hypertension League, which takes place in Berlin from 11 to 13 December. On the one hand, the figures would show that in recent decades, much could be contributed to the fight against hypertension, and the knowledge about the illness and the willingness to treat it have improved significantly. „On the other hand, the increase in those affected by young men is also a warning not to rest on their laurels.“ (Ad)