{"id":2232,"date":"2025-08-05T22:17:49","date_gmt":"2025-08-06T04:17:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/drakarlacastolo.com\/?p=2232"},"modified":"2025-08-05T22:21:16","modified_gmt":"2025-08-06T04:21:16","slug":"hypertension","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drakarlacastolo.com\/en\/blog\/diagnostic-evaluation\/hypertension\/","title":{"rendered":"High blood pressure: everything you need to know to control it"},"content":{"rendered":"

The arterial hypertension<\/strong> (pressure \u2265 130\/80 mm Hg) affects one in three Mexican adults and rarely causes symptoms. However, keeping it under control reduces heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure. In this guide you will learn the normal numbers, the factors that raise blood pressure and the best strategies to lower it safely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is arterial hypertension?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The World Health Organization defines hypertension when systolic pressure is \u2265 140 mm Hg or diastolic pressure \u2265 90 mm Hg on two separate intakes. The stricter ACC\/AHA 2023-2024 guidelines classify. high<\/strong> (120-129\/ < 80), stage 1<\/strong> (130-139\/80-89) y stage 2<\/strong> (\u2265 140\/90)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Local data:<\/strong> In Mexico, 46 % of adults aged 30-79 years live with hypertension; only 57 % know about it and 40 % control it - a gap we can close with screening and education.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Main risk factors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  • Age > 40 years old<\/strong> and family history.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Excess salt<\/strong> and ultra-processed foods.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Overweight or obesity<\/strong> (BMI \u2265 25 kg\/m\u00b2).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Sedentary lifestyle<\/strong> and chronic stress.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Usual consumption of tobacco<\/strong> or alcohol in excess.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Why does the pressure rise?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Excess sodium retains water; the heart pumps harder and arteries lose elasticity due to cholesterol deposits. Over time, the arterial wall thickens and resistance to blood flow increases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Symptoms: those that almost never appear<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Hypertension is known as a \"silent killer\" because most do not feel anything until a complication occurs. Headache, ringing in the ears or nosebleeds often indicate very high numbers. That's why it's key to measure your blood pressure<\/strong> at least once a year or every 6 months if you have risk factors (agenda a Cardiological Check-Up<\/strong> \u2192 \/checkup-cardiologic\/).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How it is diagnosed<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    1. In-office blood pressure measurement<\/strong> with calibrated sleeve.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Confirmation on a second visit or with MAP 24 h<\/strong> (\/map-pressure-24h\/) to rule out \"white coat hypertension\".<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Laboratory tests: glucose, lipid profile and renal function.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. Studies of target organ damage (echocardiogram, fundus) as appropriate.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Pressure targets according to guidelines 2024 - 2025<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
      Category<\/th>Systolic (mm Hg)<\/th>Diastolic (mm Hg)<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
      Normal<\/td>< 120<\/td>< 80<\/td><\/tr>
      High<\/td>120-129<\/td>< 80<\/td><\/tr>
      Stage 1<\/td>130-139<\/td>80-89<\/td><\/tr>
      Stage 2<\/td>\u2265 140<\/td>\u2265 90<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      Source: ACC\/AHA - update 2024<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Non-pharmacological treatment: the 5 keys<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      Salt reduction<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Limited to 5 g per day<\/strong> (\u2248 1 tsp). Read labels; most sodium comes in breads, sausages and sauces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      2. Cardioprotective nutrition<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Follow the diet DASH<\/strong> o Mediterranean, rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, low-fat dairy products and olive oil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      3. Regular physical activity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      150 min\/wk of moderate exercise (brisk walking, swimming) or 75 min\/wk of vigorous exercise, plus 2 strength training sessions, according to the AHA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      4. Healthy weight<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Lose 5-10 weight %<\/strong> decreases pressure 4-6 mm Hg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      5. Stress and sleep management<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Practice diaphragmatic breathing, meditation or yoga; sleep 7-8 hours. High cortisol raises blood pressure steadily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Medication: when and how<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      If pressure persists \u2265 130\/80 mm Hg despite 3 months of lifestyle changes, or initiates \u2265 140\/90, drugs are considered. Guidelines suggest:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      • IECA<\/strong> o ARA-II<\/strong> (e.g., enalapril, losartan) for first line.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Calcium antagonists<\/strong> o thiazide diuretics<\/strong> as an alternative\/combination.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Double therapy if BP > 20\/10 mm Hg above target.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        Adherence is key; ask your doctor before stopping or changing doses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        What happens if it is not treated?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        Uncontrolled pressures progressively damage the heart, brain, eyes and kidneys:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \n
        • Myocardial infarction<\/strong> - coronary arteries become blocked.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Stroke<\/strong> - rupture or blockage of cerebral vessels.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Renal insufficiency<\/strong> - glomerular filtration impairment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          Regular monitoring and treatment adjustments reduce the risk of major complications by up to 40 %.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Quick Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

          Can I do intense exercise?<\/strong>
          Yes, if your cardiologist authorizes it and there is no organ damage; increase gradually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Does coffee raise blood pressure?<\/strong>
          Caffeine may elevate it transiently; moderate to 1-2 cups and measure your response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Can hypertension be cured?<\/strong>
          It is controlled. With weight loss and proper nutrition some patients reduce or discontinue drugs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Next step for your arterial health<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

          Control the arterial hypertension<\/strong> requires commitment, but the benefits are felt for a lifetime. Program your Cardiological Check-Up<\/strong> or request the MAP 24 h<\/strong> to know your pressure profile and receive a personalized plan.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          La hipertensi\u00f3n arterial (presi\u00f3n \u2265 130\/80 mm Hg) afecta a uno de cada tres adultos mexicanos y rara vez da s\u00edntomas. Sin embargo, mantenerla bajo control reduce infartos, derrames cerebrales y falla renal. En esta gu\u00eda conocer\u00e1s las cifras normales, los factores que la elevan y las mejores estrategias para bajarla de forma segura. \u00bfQu\u00e9 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2105,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,48,40,45,47,43,39,42,46,44,41],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2232","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-evaluacion-diagnostico","category-comunidad-vallarta","category-condiciones-cardiacas","category-educacion-mitos","category-emergencias","category-poblaciones-especiales","category-prevencion-estilo-vida","category-rehabilitacion-recuperacion","category-salud-cardiometabolica","category-tecnologia-actualidad","category-tratamientos-procedimientos"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/drakarlacastolo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2232","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/drakarlacastolo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/drakarlacastolo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drakarlacastolo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drakarlacastolo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2232"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/drakarlacastolo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2232\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drakarlacastolo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2105"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/drakarlacastolo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2232"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drakarlacastolo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2232"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drakarlacastolo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2232"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}