High blood pressure is a problem that affects millions of people. And now research tells us that it can also be a relationship problem
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a common but often underestimated medical condition that affects millions of people around the world. If left untreated, it can increase the risk of serious health problems, including heart disease, stroke and kidney damage.
It is therefore essential to be aware of the risks associated with high blood pressure and take steps to manage it effectively. And today science tells us that it can be “contagious”. Let’s find out together how members of a couple can both have high blood pressure.
Hypertension is defined as consistently high blood pressure in the arteries. It is expressed in two numbers: systolic pressure, which represents the blood pressure when the heart contracts, and diastolic pressure, which represents the blood pressure when the heart relaxes between beats. Normal blood pressure is generally less than 120/80 mmHg. Values higher than this may indicate hypertension.
High blood pressure is often called the “silent killer” because it usually has no obvious symptoms. However, over time, it can damage blood vessels and vital organs, increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, eye problems and other serious health problems. It is therefore important measure your blood pressure regularly and consult a doctor if you detect high values.
The exact causes of hypertension can vary from person to person, but are often the result of a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Some of the most common risk factors include excessive salt consumption, a diet high in saturated fat and cholesterol, lack of physical activity, obesity, excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, stress and genetic predisposition.
If your partner has high blood pressure, get it checked too
Prevention is essential to reduce the risk of hypertension and its complications. Measuring your blood pressure regularly, adopting a healthy lifestyle and undergoing regular medical check-ups can help you detect any problems early and take timely preventive or management measures. Today a study tells us that if our partner suffers from high blood pressure there are real risks that we could be affected too.
A new study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, revealed a significant link between high blood pressure and heterosexual relationships. According to research conducted in the United States, England, China and India, it is likely that if one partner has high blood pressure, the other partner also has the condition.
Study author Chihua Li said it was surprising to find that in many older couples, both the husband and wife had high blood pressure. For example, in the United States, more than 35% of couples aged 50 or older had both members with high blood pressure. The study involved a significant sample, including data from 3,989 US couples, 1,086 English couples, 6,514 Chinese couples and 22,389 Indian couples.
In particular, in England the prevalence of both partners with high blood pressure was 47%, while in the United States it was 38%, in China 21% and in India 20%. In China and India, wives were significantly more likely to develop hypertension if their husbands had the same condition, compared to those married to partners without hypertension.
Although the study has some limitations, including blood pressure measurement taken only once for participants and the exclusive inclusion of heterosexual couples, highlighted the potential for couple-based hypertension treatment. Hypertension is a widespread problem, with 22% of Europeans suffering from the condition according to the EU statistics agency Eurostat.
