A quarter of deaths from heart disease and a third of deaths from strokes in the Netherlands are caused by high blood pressure. Because you usually do not notice high blood pressure, it is also called a silent condition. That is why the Heart Foundation wants more people, especially men too, to measure their blood pressure.
Measure from the age of 40
Measure your blood pressure at least once a year ”, says David Smeekes, doctor at the Heart Foundation. “High blood pressure affects the condition of the blood vessels, which increases the risk of, for example, a heart attack or a stroke. From the age of 40 you are more likely to have high blood pressure, both men and women. By measuring annually you will discover in time whether you have high blood pressure. You can still do a lot yourself to lower it. Consider, for example, exercising more, eating less salt or losing weight. If you are overweight and you lose weight, your blood pressure can drop to about 20 points. This reduces the risk of a stroke and coronary artery disease by 60% and 50% respectively.
Unhealthy lifestyle
High blood pressure is slightly less common in women aged 40 to 60 than in men: 1 in 4 women of this age has high blood pressure or is taking medication for it. A different physique and hormones play a role in this. In addition, men live unhealthier lives: 60% is not concerned with their own health or is only partially concerned with their own health, for women this is 46%. More than half of adult men (55%) are overweight, compared to 45% of women[1]. They also smoke more than women (25.4% versus 18.1%) and eat more salt per day (9.7 grams versus 7.4 grams).
[1] A BMI higher than 25 kg / m2
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