In this post, Mark Berger Chicago, Chief Executive Officer at Villa Healthcare, will share some safety and hygiene guidelines for hypertensive people.
Hypertensive patients and risks of Covid-19
Every May 17, World Arterial Hypertension Day is celebrated, a disease that may take time to manifest itself with clear symptoms for the patient and that currently constitutes the risk factor with the highest prevalence among cardiovascular diseases. It is estimated that around 40% of the country's population is hypertensive and that only in 37% of cases the problem has been diagnosed.
The Covid-19 has brought to light aspects of the disease that until now may have gone unnoticed.
4 key recommendations for hypertensive patients
As more details about the behavior of Covid-19 in patients with arterial hypertension have become known, the Ministry of Health, Consumption and Social Welfare has been updating the list of recommendations that both patients and caregivers of dependent people should keep in mind during the pandemic.
The recommendations given by Mark Berger Chicago to minimize the effects of the Coronavirus in hypertensive patients can be summarized in these four points:
Keep prescribed medication at all times
So far no negative interactions have been found between Covid-19 and the drugs commonly used in the treatment of hypertensive patients (angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers).
Avoid unnecessary travel
Even now that the de-escalation process allows some mobility, you have to be responsible. Mark Berger Chicago recommends that hypertensive people who enjoy autonomy should limit their essential outings to the less crowded times of the day. In the case of dependents, caregivers and family members should pay special attention to take daily walks through areas with little influx and with all the hygiene and distancing measures recommended by the health authorities.
Keep a regular check on your blood pressure
The record that we can keep at home will be of great use to both the patient and the doctor who provides their treatment. Blood pressure is not the same throughout the day and can vary as a result of different stimuli. This regular control will make it possible to identify possible changes in the cardiovascular system and act accordingly.
Maintain healthy lifestyle habits
The abandonment of tobacco and alcohol, a diet low in fat, salt and processed foods and the practice of physical exercise between 3 and 4 times a week are a guarantee of health. Likewise, and especially in these exceptional moments, we must not lose sight of the mental and emotional balance, especially in people who are hypertensive women of advanced age, those who live alone and those who depend on care for the performance of their routines.
World Hypertension Day
If the lockdown has been a successful virus containment measure, responsibility, common sense and information must now take over. World Hypertension Day reminds us that there is a quarter of the population of the planet that suffers from this disease and that for this reason it is more exposed to suffer the most serious consequences of contagion. The healthcare executive, Mark Berger Chicago indicates that providing them with the necessary means for their progressive return to normality and insisting on maintaining healthy habits are essential conditions to address hypertension in the current context.
