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15
Health and blood pressure
The incidence of hypertension increases with age. In
addition, a lack of exercise, excess body fat and high
levels of cholesterol (LDL), which sticks to the inside
in blood vessels, reduces elasticity of these vessels.
Hypertension accelerates arterial sclerosis which can
lead to very serious conditions such as stroke and
myocardial infarction. For these reasons it is very
important to know whether the blood pressure is
within a healthy range. Blood pressure fluctuates
from minute to minute, throughout the day. Therefore
it is essential to take regular measurements to help
you identify an average blood pressure.
Symptoms of high blood pressure
High blood pressure can go unnoticed for a long
time, since it does not cause noticeable symptoms.
The following are all possible causes of abnormally
high blood pressure:
• Overweight
• High cholesterol level
• Smoking
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Stress and emotional upset
• Excessive consumption of salt
• Lack of physical exercise
• Genetic/hereditary predisposition
• Underlying illnesses, such as kidney disorders or
endocrine disturbance
Blood pressure measurement
Measuring your blood pressure daily enables you to
recognize high blood pressure at an early stage and
obtain medical treatment.
The oscillometric method of measurement
determines your blood pressure by measuring the
pressure fluctuations caused by the pulse waves.
Since your blood pressure fluctuates within a day (see
graphic next page), you should always measure it at the
same time each day to ensure that the measurements
are genuinely comparable. At the doctor’s surgery,
nervousness and tension may cause your blood
pressure to be higher than in familiar circumstances at
home. This is known as “White Coat Hypertension”.
23020314 Manual RX-3 EN 01-16 13-03-2003 12:37 Pagina 15