HEALTH ARTICLE: hearing loss and hypertension

One morning about ten years ago I couldn't hear the cafe guy when I was talking to him when I was buying my morning coffee. I had always called into the same place and we would have a chat. I also had a slight ringing in one ear and thought I had better check this out.

I phoned my GP for an appointment for that evening, and he was horrified by my blood pressure which was 230/120.

I didn't even know that I had hypertension (high blood pressure), and I was told to go straight to bed. After my blood pressure had come down to a respectable level, the GP sent me to a heart specialist who felt that the only reason I had hypertension was due to family history.

I then took control. I had always only stuck to a healthy diet, but increased my daily exercise and concentrated on eating a lot of potassium-rich foods. I now maintain a healthy blood pressure level and not too bad weight range for my age, which is by the way 51. One of my aunties had a heart attack at 41 years of age and I was determined that was not going to be me.