Nine out of ten Barbadians over the age of 50 have high blood pressure. And now with the recent lowering of the threshold for hypertension by the American College of Cardiology, that figure, said cardiologist Dr Alfred Sparman, could rise to as high as 94 per cent.
Two weeks ago, on November 13, the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association announced the high blood pressure limits would be reduced from 140/90 to 130/80. Optimum blood pressure was around 120/80, while for diabetics their blood pressure reading should be 110-115/70.
But, said Sparman and Sir Trevor Hassell, chairman of the Commission on Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases, the new lower levels were the way to go as it would force salt-loving Barbadians to take better care of their health.
“We eat a lot of salt in our food: that pudding and souse, that pork; that’s a whole lot of salt in there. And you find because of our cultural way of life and also because we are embracing the Western diet a lot, we are going to have some problems,” Sparman said. (HLE)
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