Persistent hypertension or high blood pressure is one of the risk factors for strokes, heart attacks, heart failure, renal diseases, blindness and many other ailments.
Hence saving oneself from high blood pressure means avoiding many serious diseases. Doctors are of the opinion that this first step to move away from the high blood pressure is to change one's lifestyle.
Hypertension is a medical condition wherein the blood pressure is chronically elevated. Interestingly, hypertension is usually found incidentally by doctors, as normally it produces no symptoms. This is why it is also called the silent killer.
According to recent estimates, nearly one in three US adults has high blood pressure, but because there are no symptoms, nearly one-third of these people don't know they have it. In fact, many people have high blood pressure for years without knowing it.
Most doctors agree that stressful situations can increase the blood pressure, but it should not be confused with mental tension, stress and anxiety. While chronic anxiety is associated with poor outcomes in people with hypertension, it alone does not cause it.
High blood pressure alone is not an illness, it often requires treatment due to its short- and long-term effects on many organs. A patient of high blood is at increased risk of strokes, heart diseases, kidney failure and blindness due to damage to the retina.
Although few women of childbearing age have high blood pressure, up to 10 percent develop hypertension of pregnancy. While generally benign, it may herald three complications of pregnancy: pre-eclampsia, HELLP syndrome and eclampsia. Follow-up and control with medication is therefore often necessary.
As said earlier, change in lifestyle is the most important factor to minimise risk of hypertension. Doctors recommend weight loss and regular exercise as the first steps in treating mild to moderate hypertension.
These steps are highly effective in reducing blood pressure, but easier to suggest than to achieve, and most patients with moderate or severe hypertension end up requiring indefinite drug therapy to bring their blood pressure down to a safe level.
Discontinuing smoking does not directly reduce blood pressure, but it is very important for people with hypertension because it reduces the risk of many dangerous outcomes of hypertension, such as stroke and heart attack.
Mild hypertension is usually treated by diet, exercise and improved physical fitness. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables and fat-free dairy foods and low in fat and sodium lowers blood pressure in people with hypertension.
Dietary sodium (salt) causes hypertension in some people and reducing salt intake decreases blood pressure in a third of people. Regular mild exercise improves blood flow, and helps to lower blood pressure.
Reduction of environmental stresses such as high sound levels and over-illumination can be an additional method of ameliorating hypertension.
It is proved that reduction of the blood pressure by 5-6 mmHg can decrease the risk of stroke by 40 percent, of coronary heart disease by 15-20 percent, and reduces the likelihood of dementia, heart failure, and mortality from vascular disease.
Blood pressure is always given as these two numbers, the systolic and diastolic pressures. Both are important. Usually they are written one above or before the other, such as 120/80 mmHg (measured in millimeters of mercury, a unit for measuring pressure). When the two measurements are written down, the systolic pressure is the first or top number, and the diastolic pressure is the second or bottom number (for example, 120/80). If your blood pressure is 120/80, you say that it is "120 over 80."
Blood pressure changes during the day. It is lowest as you sleep and rises when you get up. It also can rise when you are excited, nervous, or active.
A blood pressure reading below 120/80 mmHg is considered normal. In general, lower is better. However, very low blood pressure can sometimes be a cause for concern and should be checked out by a doctor. Doctors classify blood pressures under 140/90 mmHg as either normal or prehypertension.
A blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg or higher is considered high blood pressure. Both numbers are important. If one or both numbers are usually high, it indicates towards high blood pressure.
The high blood pressure should not be taken lightly. Besides, changes in lifestyle consulting with a qualified healthcare provider is a must, as in most cases medication programme is also suggested besides self-help measure such as controlling obesity, living a physically active and low-stress life and following up a healthy dietary plan.