It is estimated that “close to 20 million people around the world will die this year from heart attacks and cerebrovascular accidents and 40% of those affected by heart attacks do not reach the hospital alive”
Madrid, March 30, 2023.- High blood pressure is the most common cardiovascular risk factor, with a prevalence of more than 40% in the population over 35 years of age. According to the World Health Organization, it is the first cause of death in the world. The problem is due to the fact that the hypertensive citizen himself is unaware of the disease, although poor adherence to treatment also contributes. More than a billion people in the world suffer from hypertension. Dr. Manuel de la Peña, president of the European Institute of Health and Social Welfare and professor of cardiology stresses that, as it is usually asymptomatic, “citizens do not feel vulnerable”, In addition, 50% of hypertensives do not receive treatment, only 16% of patients are well controlled, and sustained poorly controlled hypertension causes heart attacks and strokes. For the therapeutic approach to hypertensive patients, good clinical results are being obtained with combined therapies, that is, pills containing 2-3 active ingredients. For this reason, it is necessary to adjust the treatment strategy to try to achieve optimal figures below 130/80 mmHg. In addition, age influences it. Over the years, the number of collagen fibers in the arterial walls increases, making the blood vessels stiffer. This reduction in elasticity causes narrowing of the sectional area, creating resistance to blood flow and, as a compensatory consequence, an increase in blood pressure. It is a disorder with a large genetic component, since more than 50 genes that could be involved have been studied. Lifestyle changes that reduce blood pressure are, among others: weight loss, restriction of consumption of salt, especially in salt-sensitive patients (70% of hypertensive patients are sensitive to salt), a heart-healthy diet, avoiding tobacco and alcohol, and physical activity, all of which are measures that improve blood pressure. Frequent hypertensive crises with Values of 180/110 mmHg can cause brain, cardiac or microvascular damage. Patients with crisis episodes run a risk greater than 50% compared to patients with controlled hypertension. De la Peña points out that “in refractory hypertension, the most innovative treatment is renal denervation whose candidates are patients taking 3- 4 pills. It is an ablation procedure that is performed by femoral catheterization, minimally invasive. It involves the interruption of the renal sympathetic nerves, since the renal artery is surrounded by nerve fibers. Good clinical results are obtained with renal denervation and also it is a good option in patients with poor adherence to treatment or who have a high cardiovascular risk”. De la Peña, in addition to being a professor of cardiology, is an Academician, Doctor Cum Laude and writer. The books he has published are: “Heart Treatise” (2010), “Patients’ Needs” (2010), “Cardiopatients” (2010), “Healthy Companies” (2010), “e-Health” (2010) , “Health Excellence: patients, innovation and technologies” (2009), “Patient Satisfaction” (2008), “Tobacco Control” (2006), “WHO Health Surveillance Guide” (2002), “Quality in Health Care” (1999), “Cardiocheck” (1993). And author of the blog El poder de curar.ContactContact name: European InstituteContact phone: 34 91 411 80 90
Issuer: European Institute
