High blood pressure is a disease that represents a significant health problem worldwide. This disease implies that the affected person has very high blood pressure values, which can generate problems and very dangerous alterations for life even when it manifests few or no symptoms, which gives it the nickname of the silent killer.
Although hypertension affects men more frequently, with the passing of the years and the changes in the lifestyle that are taking place in many countries of the Western world, it is increasingly common to find it in women, and even more so after the menopause, a triggering factor for the appearance of this disease. In this FastlyHealarticle, we will explain everything you need to know about high blood pressure during menopause: causes and how to prevent it.
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Hypertension in menopausal women
Hypertension is a disease that can appear alone or accompanied by other conditions. An example of this is the close relationship between diabetes and hypertension. Historically, hypertension has had a much higher frequency in men when compared to women of reproductive ages.
However, after 50 or 55 years of age, women are as likely or even more likely to suffer from hypertension when compared to men. Several factors explain this fact, but among all of them, one of the most important is the effects that menopause has on women.
Because there is an increased risk of hypertension in menopause
In short, menopause is a natural process that all women go through naturally around 50 years of age. Their ovaries stop producing sex hormones, particularly estrogens, which initiate changes, such as the disappearance of menstruation. Despite what may be popularly thought, menopause is not only the disappearance of menstruation, but the absence of menstruation is one of the many symptoms of this vital stage.
Among the many changes that a woman undergoes after menopause is how the contraction and dilation of blood vessels are regulated. The estrogens produced by the ovaries play an essential role in this function, causing the blood vessels to become stiffer. The absence of estrogens also affects salt sensitivity and body weight gain. All these factors are decisive for increasing blood pressure levels in postmenopausal women.
Hypertension in menopause: consequences
Even if a person says they do not suffer any symptoms or feel bad, this does not mean that they cannot suffer from hypertension. In most cases, it is a disease that does not produce symptoms until it has reached very advanced and severe states. Even so, some symptoms are often related to this disease, such as:
- Headaches
- Nose bleeds
- Nervousness
- Restlessness
Even so, hypertension can have essential consequences on an individual’s health, which can even cause death, which has coined the name of the silent killer of this disease. Among the problems that hypertension can cause are:
- Renal insufficiency
- Vision problems
- Alterations of circulation to the limbs
- Heart damage and heart failure
- Cardiac and cerebral infarcts
How to prevent hypertension in menopause
The guidelines for improving blood pressure levels for women with menopausal hypertension are similar to those with hypertension. The most important thing is to keep your doctor’s appointments to ensure that you have blood pressure within the parameters considered adequate and who is in power to indicate the appropriate medications for your type of hypertension.
It is essential to be careful when eating and watch your diet, avoid foods with excess calories and take care not to eat too many fatty foods or a lot of salt since they are hypertensive factors. Losing weight is a precious recommendation for overweight people since the blood pressure figures go down when complying with this. The following article details a diet to lose weight in menopause.
Speaking specifically of the cases of women who suffer from hypertension after menopause, the doctor can often indicate treatments to reduce the impact of hormonal change, such as hormone replacement therapies, which can improve cases of hypertension due to menopause. However, it is essential to say that the most efficient way to enhance hypertension is with a lifestyle correction regardless of the origin.
This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to High blood pressure in menopause: causes and how to prevent it, we recommend entering our category of Blood, heart, and circulation.
I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.