Issue link: https://www.hub.camaf.co.za/i/600927
11 HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE: PART 5 Of 5 This programme has given you all the key information you need to know about why High Blood Pressure is important and how it can be managed through a combination of lifestyle changes and medications. We hope you have your own home-use blood pressure machine and we hope you are taking blood pressure control seriously, because it's worthwhile. This week, let's take a brief look at some important related considerations. 1 PLUS 1 mAkES 3 This is the basic logic around cumulative risk. You know that High Blood Pressure is really all about increased risk of cardiovascular conditions like heart attack and stroke. You probably also know that there are several other medical conditions that increase your risk of these same conditions. When and if you have more than one of these conditions, the risk adds up to more the sum parts. One and one does make 3 (or more than 2 at any rate). THe maIn medIcal condITIons To consIder Here are: • Diabetes • Elevated cholesterol THe maIn lIfesTyle Issues To consIder Here are: • Overweight • Not exercising • Smoking • High stress levels I you have any of these as well as having High Blood Pressure, what you need to understand is that your risk profile is especially high. That's the bad news. The good news is that you have a great opportunity to reduce your risk profile because the management of these conditions is very similar and there is a lot of overlap. For example, getting active helps with exercise, weight, stress, blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar. It's a full house! The big picture is what's important here. You want to understand your overall health and health risk profile and you want a plan to tackle all of it. Your blood pressure is certainly an important part of this, but it is not an isolated consideration. THaT's IT. We've given you a full set of information on High Blood Pressure and it's now over to you and your doctor to manage this important chronic condition as well as you possibly can. We hope this has been helpful but even more than that, we hope you can do something with it. we wIsH you well.