Female Focus
Page 15
Your Healthy Magazine
Please, please read this article - it may well save your life. Writing it may have saved mine.
By Roddy Cunningham, Female Focus’
Dr Christoph Meyer- Josten
I always look forward to going to see Dr Christoph Meyer-Josten at Clinica Glorieta in Denia each month to learn what he wishes to be in his monthly editorial. Dr Christoph is a very professional and friendly doctor, and he has a good sense of humour. Our meetings are always pleasant, fun even.
To coincide with ‘World Hypertension Day’ on 17th May, Dr Christoph tells me this month’s editorial is about blood pressure, and the May Special Offer from Clinica Glorieta is a 24 hour blood pressure test (I’ll explain more about this below), together with a heart echocardiogram and a consultation to discuss the results. This normally costs €190.74 but the Special Offer is just €97.00. “That sounds great value” I say to Dr Christoph. “Who are we particularly looking to attract to take this offer?” I ask him. “Anyone over the age of 45” he replies, and with this he picks up a blood pressure test, comes over and sits next to me, and starts putting the kit around my right arm. “Do you know that around 3 in 10 people have high blood pressure and don’t even know it?” he asks me as he starts pumping up the armband. No I didn’t know that. “But surely they would have some signs, or be feeling ill? I ask. “Well, some people might have dizzy spells or have headaches” he replies, “but the vast majority of people won’t know at all”. With that he looks at the dial of the blood pressure test, at his watch where he has been timing my heartbeats and says “160 over 105. I want you to take the 24 hour blood pressure test and have the heart echocardiagram.” Suddenly what was a cheerful meeting to discuss his Female Focus article had become more serious. “What should it be?” I ask. “120 over 80” says Dr Christoph. So at 49 years of age I am one of the ‘3 in 10’ who didn’t have a clue that I am suffering from hypertension (high blood pressure). No dizziness, no headaches, nothing. And there’s no history of this in my family either as far as I know. Okay so I am a bit overweight, I like a drink, heck we’re
all on permanent vacation here in Spain aren’t we?! But I don’t smoke, never have, and until this moment I had always thought myself to be generally healthy. So I am now booked in to have the test at Clinica Glorieta. It involves having a 24 hour blood pressure test monitor fitted to my arm in the morning, which will regularly take readings throughout the day and night. This 24 hour monitoring is important because blood pressure readings at different times of the day can be very different, and the information from the test whilst sleeping is particularly important too. The following morning I will return to the clinic and the blood pressure test kit will be taken off my arm, and while I am having the heart echocardiogram the results of the blood pressure test will be taken off the machine. With this information and the images of my heart from the echocardiogram a full consultation will be given. “So what’s the likely outcome going to be?” I ask Dr Christoph. “We mustn’t pre-judge anything, we must wait for the results” he says “but most likely is that you’ll need to take a small pill every morning. Medication these days is extremely good, extremely reliable and extremely simple. And with some changes in your lifestyle and diet you’ll be fine.” The alternative doesn’t bear thinking about. A heart attack or a
stroke...no wonder hypertension is termed ‘a silent killer’. For heaven’s sake I want to see my 9 year old daughter grow up, get married and maybe they’ll be some grandchildren along at some stage. Thank goodness I was with Dr Christoph today. Please, please dear readers, do the same as me. I’m taking advantage of this offer, you should too. Even if you have no symptoms just like me, you now know that 3 in 10 people have high blood pressure and don’t even know it. I spend much more money getting my car serviced each year than €97.00. Why am I looking after my car and not myself? Not any more. Please call 966 435 437 and take advantage of this offer. It really could save your life.
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