FOUR OUT of 10 Portuguese suffer from high blood pressure, according to the Portuguese Arterial Hypertension Society. It adds that high blood pressure leading to stroke is one of the country’s biggest killers.
Agostinho Monteiro believes that the figures are “rather sad” given that high blood pressure can be treated with medication, a good diet and regular exercise. Monteiro adds that people are still unaware that strokes and cerebral aneurisms are two of the country’s biggest killers, alongside cancer and heart disease. According to statistics, a stroke is far more likely to kill the average citizen than a vehicle accident.
The key to lowering the chances of having a stroke lies in the decrease in consumption of refined sugar, salt and fatty foods, and an increase in the consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables. From current projections, the number of people suffering from the disease is expected to increase by as much as 70 per cent by 2025.
