TRUE OR FALSE?

Dr Adam Mather busts myths about hypertension… Hypertension is genetic. If somebody in your family has it, you’re bound to get it and there’s nothing you can do about it. True and false! Yes, there is a genetic component to hypertension, but just because somebody in your family has it, does not mean you will inevitably suffer from hypertension. Also, it definitely does not mean that you cannot prevent it with appropriate lifestyle modifications. The causes of hypertension are different in women. False. In general, the causes of hypertension are the same for both women and men, although the prevalence of each cause may vary between the sexes. aving said that, there are certain causes that may relate to female reproductive organs, such as the association between polycystic ovarian syndrome and hypertension. But this is relatively rare. The lower the blood pressure, the healthier the person. True, in general. The risk associated with increasing blood pressure is continuous. With every 2 mmHg rise in systolic blood pressure, the risk of mortality from heart disease increases by 7 per cent and the risk of mortality from stroke increases by 10 per cent. High blood pressure among the elderly is nothing to be worried about. False. While it is true that blood pressure increases with age and that we accept higher ‘normal’ ranges of blood pressure in patients over the age of 80 years, higher than normal blood pressure is always a concern. There is no cure for hypertension. True, at least at present.