High blood pressure during the menopause: Don't underestimate the risk

With the menopause, high blood pressure becomes more and more likely. However, many women underestimate the danger - and risk dangerous illnesses such as kidney disease and severe visual impairment or a heart attack or stroke. Initially, high blood pressure often shows few symptoms. It causes no pain and does not trigger a racing heart; affected women are actually extremely well! The disease is therefore often only discovered by chance.

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High blood pressure can occur during the menopause - you can prevent this.

In many cases, high blood pressure is caused by the menopause, when hormones are no longer protected by hormones. This leads to women gaining weight, increasing blood sugar and blood lipid levels and eventually developing high blood pressure. Smokers, overweight women and diabetics are particularly at risk. A family history also increases the risk of developing high blood pressure during the menopause. Doctors recommend having your blood pressure checked twice a year from the age of 45, even without acute symptoms.

High blood pressure during the menopause: Therapy and a healthy lifestyle

If high blood pressure is diagnosed, doctors usually prescribe beta blockers or ACE inhibitors. However, the disease cannot be treated with medication alone. Lifestyle changes may also be necessary. Overweight women, for example, who lose a few kilos will achieve a similar effect to that of an antihypertensive drug. In addition to excess weight, smoking and alcohol also increase blood pressure - both should be avoided if possible. If you want to avoid high blood pressure during the menopause, you can do yourself some good with light endurance sports. Just four weekly walks of ten minutes each can have a lasting positive effect on high blood pressure.

How high can high blood pressure be during the menopause?

120/80 - these values are optimal and ensure that all organs can be properly supplied with blood. Blood pressure is considered normal at 130/90. The doctor diagnoses mild high blood pressure at 160/100. Even if this value does not yet cause any damage, it should be treated by a doctor. Moderate high blood pressure, on the other hand, can already cause changes in the blood vessels and the retina as well as mild heart or kidney problems - the value here is around 180/110. Values that are even higher indicate severe high blood pressure, which can lead to very serious organ damage and secondary diseases.