新奇事件簿 高血压患者新增数百万

Millions more people around the world have high blood pressure. This news came earlier this week when the American Heart Association¹ (AHA) changed the numbers at which high blood pressure starts. For many decades, doctors said high blood pressure started at a reading of 140 over 90. The AHA has changed this and said the disease² should be treated sooner. It said high blood pressure now starts at a reading of 130 over 80. Blood pressure happens when your heart pushes blood around your body too fast. If this pushing is too strong, it can put stress on your heart and arteries³. This can lead to heart attacks and strokes⁴. Normal blood pressure is less than 120 over 80.

全世界高血压患者新增了数百万。本周早些时候，美国心脏病学会(AHA)更改了高血压起始数字，随后公布了最新数字。多年来，医生们表示，血压数值高于140/90即为高血压。AHA更改了这一数字，称高血压应该提早治疗。他们表示，现在数值超过130/80就算高血压。当心脏向全身输送血液的速度太快时就会发生高血压。如果输送的力度太强，就会对心脏和动脉造成压力。这会导致心脏病和中风。正常的血压应该低于120/80。

AHA doctors said health problems can happen at the lower figures of 130 over 80. However, they said it is possible for people to deal with this level of blood pressure without taking medicine. They said the new reading is, "a yellow light that you need to be lowering your blood pressure, mainly with non-drug approaches". People with high blood pressure need to make healthy lifestyle changes. These include losing weight, exercising more, eating healthier food, avoiding alcohol⁵ and salt, quitting smoking and avoiding stress. The new reading of 130 over 80 now means that nearly half (46 per cent) of the adult population of the USA has high blood pressure. This rose from 32 per cent using the old numbers.

AHA医生表示，当血压达到130/80时可能就会出现健康问题。然而，他们说，血压达到这个水平的时候，不需要服用药物就可以解决。他们说，新的数值代表一个黄灯警示，表明你需要降血压了，主要是通过非药物的方法。血压高的人需要采纳健康的生活方式。包括减肥，增加运动，吃更健康的食物，避免酒精和盐，戒烟，避免压力。130/80的最新数值意味着美国近一半(46%)的成年人患有高血压，使用此前的数值计算是32%。

1 association   

n.联盟，协会，社团；交往，联合；联想

参考例句：

• Our long association with your company has brought great benefits.我方和贵公司的长期合作带来了巨大的利益。
• I broke away from the association ten years ago.我10年前就脱离了那个团体。

2 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。

3 arteries   

n.动脉( artery的名词复数 )；干线，要道

参考例句：

• Even grafting new blood vessels in place of the diseased coronary arteries has been tried. 甚至移植新血管代替不健康的冠状动脉的方法都已经试过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This is the place where the three main arteries of West London traffic met. 这就是伦敦西部三条主要交通干线的交汇处。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 strokes   

中风； a sudden loss of consciousness resulting when the rupture or occlusion of a blood vessel leads to oxygen lack in the brain.； （游泳或划船的）划( stroke的名词复数 )； 中风； （打、击等的）一下； （成功的）举动

参考例句：

• Apply the paint thickly in even strokes. 涂颜料要厚，笔画要匀。
• To improve your tennis strokes you try using a different grip. 为了提高你网球的击球法，你试试用另一种握拍方法。

5 alcohol   

n.酒精，乙醇；含酒精的饮料

参考例句：

• The law forbids shops to sell alcohol to minors.法律禁止商店向未成年者出售含酒精的饮料。
• The alcohol is industrial.这些酒精是供工业用的。