Recognizing the symptoms:
Hypertension can be detected early
Berlin - Early-morning dizziness and headaches may be signs of
undiagnosed hypertension, as shown by a survey among German
GP patients conducted as part a large-scale study of the treatment
of hypertension in Germany. The results refute an opinion widely
held among doctors, namely that the patients themselves only
seldom realize that they have hypertension.
"Hypertension experts and many doctors see high blood pressure as a
silent killer," states Dr. med. Martin Middeke from the Hypertension
Center in Munich. The reason for this is that the special risk lies in the
fact that patients do not suffer any pain or discomfort from high blood
pressure. Consequently, the condition remains undetected until it leads to
a heart attack or a stroke. "This is indeed often the case," adds Middeke.
"Our study shows, however, that high blood pressure can have symptoms
in almost half of those affected and therefore does not have to remain
'silent'". Hypertension sufferers report headaches and dizziness in the
early hours of the morning far more than do patients with normal blood
pressure. The higher a patient's blood pressure is, the more likely he/she
is to report these symptoms. This applies to untreated and treated
hypertension patients. Hence, headaches and dizziness may also
indicate that high blood pressure has not yet been properly regulated.
Women and persons with concomitant diseases develop symptoms more
often than others. Tiredness was incidentally reported less by hypertension
sufferers than by healthy people. This is possibly another indication
that many people with high blood pressure often feel healthy.
Hypertension caused few symptoms in the older participants in the study.
Middeke puts this down to the special feature of hypertension disease in
the elderly - in this age group it is in many cases only the upper, systolic
value that is significantly elevated, while the lower value is normal. And
often patients have become accustomed to the elevated values over a
period of many years. All the same, treatment is still definitely indicated
for isolated systolic hypertension in the elderly as well. "People who
suffer dizziness and headaches in the morning should take the symptoms
seriously and be sure to have their blood pressure checked," advises
Middeke.
PLEASE NOTE: Official Press Conferences (during the Congress)
