BLOOD-PRESSURE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21769, 7 April 1934, Page 7 (Supplement)

BLOOD-PRESSURE

MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT IT It is only during recent years that one has heard blood-pressure discussed by lay folk, says a medical correspondent. Doctors always realised that the pressure at which the blood circulated had a bearing on'the health of ,the individual, but machines for estithating it were confined 'to physiology laboratories. When a reliable,, portable machine came into use a little over 20 years ago blood-pressure was 'taken systematically. The subject gained in popularity in the medical world and also among the public, until it now rivals operations as a subject for discussion wherever women congregate. In many resects women have a greater regard for their blood-pressure readings than have their medical attendants, who realise that it is a very variable reading at any time. In the first phtce, there is no such thing as a fixed blood-pressure. One is commonly asked " What should my blood-pressure be at my age?" The only honest answe"r is that one does not know. It varies very widely in perfectly healthy individuals of the same age and environment. There is a possibility that those with a habitually low blood-pressure tend to live longer than those tsf the high-pres-sure type, but observations on this, which are derived from life insurance records, have not yet been taken over a sufficiently long period for this to be certain. High blood-pressure runs in families, and differs with- occupation and race. The average Australian blood-pressure is higher than' the European, it constantly varies during the day, and is higher standing than lying, after a meal than fasting, and is raised greatly by exercise. Variability Often Normal Blood-pressure is usually not a disease in itself, but is the result of kidnew or heart,-disease, or of some form of chronic poisoning. There is one form that is essential to the individual and is without apparent cause. People can be in perfect health with a blood-pres-sure much above' the average for their age and sex, and in some cases of heart disease a high blood-pressure may be Nature's attempt to overcome the effects of the diseased valves. In such cases lowering ot the blood-pressure would be dangerous or even fatal. Blood-pressure is usually spoken of as a disease m itself, when what is meant is high blood-pressure. Everyone has some blood?pressu:'e or they would be dead. Even high blood-pressure has to be taken in conjunction with other symptoms, and is rarely the most important feature in the illness. It is not generally realised that low blood-pressure is as serious as the high type, being the symptom of very serious diseases of a general nature. Ihe general fear is that anyone who has a pressure even a little above the normal is liable to liave a stroke. This is not so. the danger depending upon the health of the arteries in the brain. Danger of Interference Blood-pressure naturally arises with advancing years, and a stroke is sometimes preceded by a lall in blood-pres-sure. People should he warned against taking drugs for I lie purpose ot lowering their blood-pressure, as this involves ! great risk. The popular concern with j biood-nressiiro'lias given an opportunity j to vendors of quark niedieines to manii--1 acture nostrums lor lowering pressure, j In actual fact uiyst ot t liese are barmless because l.liey are without effect, i but some can actually lower pressor*!. ! This can he dangerous unless the cause is treated and the effect under strict medical control. It would he better for mankind, and women in particular, it they had never heard the phrase "blood-pressure." They would he saved much unnecessary j mental anxiet> a-ud uncomfortable and useless dieting. Every other person one j meets has a diet for reducing blood- j pressure. These are usually quite use- j less for the purpose and harmful in | Other wars. 1