Hypertension: Prevention and Building Resilience.

 

Hypertension: Prevention and Building Resilience.
Dr. C.V. Alert, MB BS, DM, FCCFP.
Family Physician.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the world’s leading cause of death and disability. They include cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and chronic lung disease, many of which can be prevented by reducing risk factors such as tobacco and alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and unhealthy eating. Hypertension affects approximately 25% of the global population and is one of the most prevalent medical non-communicable diseases (ncds). It is closely linked to increased cardiovascular morbidity and high all-cause mortality, the leading cause of death and suffering worldwide. Because hypertension is often "silent"—meaning it may present no obvious symptoms—many people ignore it, despite its potential to cause severe cardiovascular complications such as dementia, heart failure, and kidney failure. Hypertension may be silent, but it is always dangerous.

The Importance of Early Detection.

The only way to know if you have hypertension is to measure your blood pressure—you cannot determine it by symptoms alone. If diagnosed, it is crucial to follow medical advice, which includes:
✔ Self-monitoring blood pressure (SMBP)
✔ Regular doctor visits to track progress and cardiovascular risk factors
✔ Healthy lifestyle choices, such as:

• Avoiding alcohol and smoking
• Reducing salt intake
• Eating more fruits and vegetables, including ‘ground provisions’
• Cutting back on sugary drinks
• Drinking more water
• Getting quality sleep
• Exercising regularly
• Maintaining a healthy weight (or as close as possible to it)
• Managing stress effectively

If medication is prescribed, it is essential to take it daily as directed by your doctor. Hypertension cannot be cured, but it can be controlled.

Hypertension in the Caribbean.

Hypertension is particularly prevalent in the Caribbean, with its frequency increasing with age. Many individuals, active in their youth, find it challenging to maintain physical activity upon entering adulthood due to work and family commitments. This lack of adequate physical activity contributes significantly to the rise in hypertension cases.

What we have learnt, over the years, is that when hurricanes visit our islands, many of the persons whose health is most severely affected are those with hypertension and/or another ncds. Hurricanes disrupt daily life routines. Hurricanes disrupt food and medicine supplies. Hurricanes disrupt medical services. When persons are struggling to survive, regular physical activity gets put on the back burner. So many of the healthy lifestyle options are not possible, and this increases suffering. Doing as much as you can to optimize your health ‘in the good times’, puts you in a better position to deal with many challenges when they arise. Hurricane season preparedness must include making sure you are in the best of health before the hurricane arises, and having a plan to survive after the hurricane strikes.

Covid-19, when it visited Caribbean shores, created the same disruption that the hurricanes do. It sought out individuals in our society whose health was compromised by hypertension and the other ncds, while at the same time vastly overstretching our medical services. [I specifically remember our Minister of Health and Wellness, in the middle of the covid-19 pandemic, commenting on how many obese persons had to be hospitalized with severe covid-19 infections. Apart for obese persons being more likely to have one or more of these silent illnesses, even without a diagnosed ncd obese persons are likely to be in ‘less powerful’ health than their slim counterparts.] “Only the strong survive, the weak fall by the wayside” should be a wakeup call for those who may have ‘a silent disease’, but choose to ignore it because they don’t feel sick. Some others falsely boast’ that they have not visited a doctor in decades, they don’t ever get sick. Silent diseases thrive in these individuals. Unfortunately, scientists predict that other pandemics of severe viral illness (“communicable diseases’) are in our not too distant future, so we should be prepared.  Optimize your health now.

 

The Role of Exercise.

Despite potential risks, the benefits of exercise far outweigh the dangers, making physical activity a key component of hypertension prevention and treatment. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends, as a minimum:
✔ 150–300 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise per week (30 minutes per day 5 days per week)
✔ Muscle-strengthening activities at least twice weekly.

Exceeding these minimum guidelines may reduce hypertension risks more effectively than merely meeting them. Consistency is key; sustained physical activity promotes long-term cardiovascular health.

So don’t wait until a hurricane is imminent. Don’t wait for the next viral pandemic.  Build up your body’s resilience by practicing a healthy lifestyle, and visiting your family physician to ensure that one or more of these silent diseases is not ‘killing you softly’.