16-05-2025
'Don't wait for warning signs – there may not be any': Get tested now for high blood pressure, says doctor
One in three South Africans over the age of 30 is living with high blood pressure — and many don't know it.
Before World Hypertension Day on Saturday, a leading vascular surgeon at Lenmed eThekwini Hospital and Heart Centre Dr Vinesh Padayachy urged South Africans to get tested for high blood pressure.
'Don't wait for warning signs — there may not be any. A five-minute blood pressure test can save your life. Hypertension is manageable but only if you know you have it. Know your numbers. That's where prevention starts,' he said.
'Hypertension is the silent killer because it creeps in unnoticed. By the time many patients see me, they've already lost something — a limb, kidney function or even their independence.'
Padayachy warned that ignoring the condition was costing South Africans dearly.
'You can't feel your blood pressure rising. Over time it attacks your heart, brain, kidneys and limbs. Stroke, aneurysms, amputations — these are often the end result of untreated high blood pressure.'
