Hyper Tension How Best to Overcome the Highs!

Dr Aniket Gadre explains how dangerous and life-threatening hypertension can be and how it is best managed.

Case study

Mrs Sharmila Verma ( name changed) was having trouble seeing clearly. She would see a black spot when she looked out of her right eye. Worried, she went to see an ophthalmologist (eye specialist). The doctor diagnosed that a blood vessel in Mrs Verma's right eye had burst and blood was flowing at a high pressure and hitting the retina (light-sensitive, inner tissue of the eye). This had slightly damaged the retina causing it to swell and had resulted in the black spot in her vision. The doctor started treating the retinal damage. He also asked her if she had Diabetes or hypertension. Mrs Verma indicated that she did have Diabetes but did not know if she had hypertension. The eye specialist asked her to get her blood sugar and blood pressure checked. Her sugars were on the higher side but her blood pressure was substantially higher at 160/130 mm Hg.

Mrs Verma consulted her diabetologist who adjusted the medication dosage to better manage her blood sugar levels. She was also referred to a cardiologist who prescribed antihypertensive medication to manage the high blood pressure. He also explained to Mrs Verma that hypertension was responsible for the blood vessel to burst which in turn had caused the retinal damage. The cardiologist referred Mrs Verma to a nutritionist who helped her assess her diet. She was advised to lessen the intake of foods containing salt and saturated fat and to increase the intake of foods containing potassium, calcium and fibre. The nutritionist explained that this would help lower blood pressure significantly.