One in three French adults suffers from hypertension.
A disease that the health crisis should not be forgotten, especially since it is an aggravating factor of Covid.
On the occasion of World Hypertension Day, the head of the internal medicine department at Saint-Joseph Hospital reiterates the importance of screening.
In France, one in three adults suffers from too high blood pressure, and half of them ignore it.
Hypertension is, however, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
On the occasion of World Arterial Hypertension Day this Monday, Professor Jean-Jacques Mourad, head of the internal medicine department of the Saint-Joseph hospital group in Paris, recalls the importance of getting tested, especially after 40 years.
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"Today, in 2021, it is not logical to know your weight to within 200 grams thanks to hyper sophisticated scales and to ignore your blood pressure level", insists the doctor.
Especially since according to him, "there are hundreds of ways to have access to a reliable blood pressure measurement via the devices which exist", such as for example in pharmacy or at his occupational doctor.
Priority hypertensives for vaccination against Covid-19
Professor Jean-Jacques Mourad specifies that a "radical change in life behavior or taking more than a kilo per year" are factors that run a risk of installing arterial hypertension.
So with Fathers and Mothers Day approaching, he gives a gift idea: to offer a device to measure blood pressure to his parents.
"After 40 years, it may be smarter than giving him yet another coffee maker," he quipped.
Screening for hypertension is not to be put aside in this time of health crisis.
Indeed, hypertensive people are more vulnerable to Covid-19.
They are also a priority for vaccination.