Ignorance of your blood pressure is not ‘bliss’
Debbie Rees was reading to a group of under 5s at Temuka kindergarten. Without warning, the words on the page vanished. She had to stop and tell the children she needed to get her breath back. Feeling a bit frightened, Debbie gathered herself. Her vision came back and she continued reading. Whatever it was, it had passed. For the moment.
A few days later, on a bright Timaru Saturday morning, Debbie was washing her hands and tried to walk away from the basin but her legs wouldn’t move. She told husband, Brent, something was up. Again, these sensations quickly passed and family members eventually went off to their various sporting commitments.
As the morning went on, Debbie became increasingly aware ‘things were not right’. She called a nurse friend who took her to a GP. The GP sent Debbie straight to hospital. “I couldn’t drive and couldn’t write,” Debbie says. “This quick response from my friend and the GP proved to be highly significant for my recovery.”
When Debbie got to hospital, her blood pressure was found to be way up.
“They told me I’d had a stroke. I was thinking, ‘a stroke? I’m only 48. That’s an old person’s disease’. But I had ignored some pretty important warning signs.
Most crucially, Debbie had ignored her blood pressure: “I have a family history of high blood pressure. I was stressed and knew I should check it out. If I had, it would have made a huge difference.”
At Timaru Hospital it was confirmed Debbie had had a transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or ‘mini stroke’, which displays stroke symptoms but lasts for less than 24 hours. A mini stroke can be a warning of a future more severe stroke, which could be prevented with treatment.
Debbie’s speech took a while to return. Her blood pressure was brought down and she had treatment from a physiotherapist and speech therapist.
Debbie says putting your head in the sand is not a good health strategy.
“I wasn’t responding to the messages from my body. I used to rationalise everything to try and excuse it. I’d say something like – ‘oh, that pain must have been caused by the way I was sleeping’. I hoped the problem would go away of its own accord.”
While Debbie has made an almost full recovery, life has changed.
“My right shoulder has a constant ache. It is minor but an ever-present reminder to avoid aggravating it. Thankfully, my teaching colleagues have been very supportive and everyone at home has stepped up. I can’t do any washing and things like that – so it’s not all bad!”
To mark Stroke Awareness Week, the Stroke Foundation, St John and Lions are setting up free blood pressure testing sites around New Zealand on Saturday 12 September (see http://www.stroke.org.nz/funding/free_testing_sites.htmlfor list of sites).
Debbie urges people to get their blood pressure tested.
“It’s crucial to keep a check on blood pressure and do what’s necessary to keep healthy. When I compare my stroke with other people’s experiences of the same symptoms, I’ve had a lucky chance to learn from my mistakes and keep on top of my blood pressure.”
ENDS
For further information
Liz Price, 04 527 3290; 0276 957 744
Stroke and blood pressure: Key facts and figures
- Stroke is the third largest killer in New Zealand (more than 2000 people die from a stroke every year) and the major cause of adult disability in New Zealand.
- Every day, 21 New Zealanders have a stroke – that’s nearly 8000 people each year.
- There are 56,000 stroke survivors in New Zealand, many of whom have disability and need significant daily support.
- A stroke is a sudden interruption of blood flow to the brain, causing brain cell damage. Basically, it is a brain attack.
- At least one in three New Zealanders can’t recognise the signs of a stroke. Delayed recognition means delayed medical intervention –which can have tragic consequences.
- It is vital that everyone has their blood pressure levels tested regularly, as a healthy blood pressure level is important in maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system.
- Blood pressure is a measure of the force blood exerts on the arteries as it is pumped around the body. Blood pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg). There are two measures of blood pressure and the optimal level is below 120/80 mmHg:
- Systolic blood pressure – this is the pressure the blood exerts on the arteries when the heart beats
- Diastolic blood pressure –- this is the pressure the blood exerts on the arteries when the heart relaxes between beats
- High blood pressure is a major cause of strokes. One in five New Zealanders has high blood pressure, and a third of these don’t know it. Reducing your blood pressure can greatly reduce stroke risk.
- High blood pressure is often caused by lifestyle and diet factors including smoking, stress, lack of exercise and poor diet. The risk of high blood pressure increases as you get older and is also above average in minority ethnic groups.
- Most people can lower their blood pressure by a combination of good diet, exercise and, if necessary, medication.
- Keys ways to lower blood pressure through diet are:
- reduce your salt intake (salt increases blood pressure)
- eat a diet that is low in saturated fat and high in fruit, vegetables, cereals and wholemeal bread
- drink alcohol in moderation: 1 glass per day for women and 2 glasses per day for men.
- Physical activity helps to keep blood pressure low – aim for 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week.
- Smoking increases the risk of high blood pressure.
- Blood pressure should be checked regularly even if you feel well.
For more information on stroke and blood pressure see www.stroke.org.nz
Stroke Foundation: “Reducing risk – improving outcomes”. www.stroke.org.nz
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