[Experience with arterial hypertension: construction of meanings and its implications for daily life]

The present study originated from a master's thesis. It depicts the Social Representations and causes of hypertension, as well as tries to understand the images and prototypes that women, who suffer from hypertension, have regarding their situation. It investigates how these women perceive themselves in the family and social interaction. Twenty-one women, who were participants of a control program of hypertension, in the suburbs of Fortaleza-Ceará, were the subjects of this study. Results show that, according to the participants in the study, suffering from hypertension means experiencing difficulties and having limitations in social and family life. These women picture themselves as "different", since they live under the threat of death and disability, which causes psychic suffering. The constraints imposed by the disease keep these women aside from the regular social life.