Hypertension growing amongest SA professionals

This figure is on the rise, with further studies conducted by the University of California, showing that there is a close link to elevated stress levels, particularly in the working environment, and the development of hypertension.

The study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, looked at data on 2400 men and women, over a 20 year period. About 25% of these people developed high blood pressure. For men it was found that unemployment, job insecurity and inadequacy in their job performance were all linked to at least a 50% greater risk of high blood pressure.

According to Graham Anderson, Principal Officer of Profmed, the medical scheme catering exclusively to graduate professionals, it is vitally important for people to regularly undergo blood pressure screenings, especially if they have genetic predispositions to the disease or are performing in stressful environments.

"Hypertension is a silent killer and often people live with it for years without treatment. Though the symptoms are not immediately visible, living with prolonged periods of hypertension can result in damage to the body, resulting in people developing other diseases which could leave them with a disability, a poor quality of life or even suffering a fatal heart attack or stroke,” explains Anderson.

 

These complications are as a result of the fact that hypertension, if uncontrolled, can lead to the damage of the arteries, the heart, the brain, kidneys and eyes. If people do not undergo annual or more regular screenings, they often only realise they have been living with hypertension after suffering a stroke, aneurism, renal failure, bleeding eyes, heart attack or having to lose a limb as a result of narrowing of arteries.

Furthermore, Anderson says the increase in the compromising of immune systems amongst professionals is impacting not only on lower productivity in the workplace but increasing the levels of stress in the working environments as healthier people are having to work harder to compensate for their colleagues who have succumbed to these immune compromising conditions.

"Causes of work-related stress include: heavy workloads; changes within the organisation; tight deadlines; changes to duties; job insecurity; lack of autonomy; boring work; over-supervision, inadequate working environment and a lack of proper resources,” explains Anderson.

Fortunately, he says with treatment and lifestyle changes, you can control your high blood pressure to reduce your risk of life-threatening complications associated with the condition.

"It is crucial that all South Africans seriously review their lifestyles, go for the prescribed annual health screenings (often covered by most medical schemes) and make the necessary adjustments to avoid long-term implications to their health,” concludes Anderson.