Understanding Hypertension or High Blood Pressure

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Omronhealthcare-ap.com/healthblog/en
Understanding Hypertension or High Blood
Pressure One of the many health problems that
more and more people live with these days is
hypertension. Also known as high blood pressure,
this common condition usually catches up with
individuals as they grow older.This happens when
blood flows through your arteries with too much
force and puts too much pressure on your arteries
and blood vessels. When that happens, your heart
needs to work harder and damage is caused
to the blood vessels in your
body. High blood pressure is particularly
damaging to the internal organs such as the brain
and kidney where blood vessels become smaller and
sensitive to pressure. When this is untreated
over time, hypertension elevates your risk of
developing stroke, heart disease, and kidney
disease. Below is a guide for you understand
hypertension better. Symptoms of
Hypertension For many years, treatment for
hypertension was not immediately given because
not many people knew they had it. Its signs and
symptoms are hard to spot, as such hypertension
is also nicknamed the silent killer. The damage
caused by untreated or uncontrolled hypertension
are internally, such as progressive deterioration
of your lungs, heart, brain, blood vessels, and
kidneys. The danger is that it might take a
devastating stroke event or a heart attack for
individuals to realise that they should have
taken hypertension seriously. Hypertension
Indicators Fortunately, hypertension can be
actively managed and monitored. The key indicator
you can monitor is your blood pressure reading.
Omron adopts the European Society of Hypertension
(ESH) and of the European Society of Cardiology
(ESC) guidelines which defines hypertension as
above/ equal to 135/85 reading taken at home. If
you do a blood pressure check at home and the
result shows 135/85, for example, you can take
this as a sign that your blood pressure is
high-normal and you may be considered as
pre-hypertensive. This means while you do not yet
have hypertension, your blood pressure is
higher than what is said to be optimal
for adults. If you are living with hypertension
or are at higher risk of hypertension, it is
recommended for you to monitor your blood
pressure at home. Find out more about the choices
of Omron home blood pressure monitors available
to you.
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Omronhealthcare-ap.com/healthblog/en Pre-Hyperte
nsive versus Hypertensive If you are also showing
symptoms of hypertension without it being full
blown, you may already be classified as
pre-hypertensive. These days, a growing number of
individuals are becoming pre- hypertensive,
showing symptoms of hypertension such as having
blood pressure that is consistently above normal
levels. If you are in this range, you may require
a lifestyle change as a form of hypertension
treatment. Weight loss is the most recommended
lifestyle change to lower blood pressure. If
your blood pressure reading averages at 140/90 or
higher, note that you still may not have any
observable symptoms. When it goes up to 180/110,
be warned for you are already experiencing a
hypertensive crisis. Take time to rest, and then
check your blood pressure one more time. If the
reading is still high, call your doctor or better
yet, have someone drive you to the nearest
hospital. These very obvious symptoms of
hypertension can develop into a heart attack,
stroke, dementia, or kidney damage. Other
symptoms that may present in a crisis usually
include shortness of breath, nosebleeds, severe
headache, and anxiety. Who are at higher risk of
hypertension? Up until 45 years old, men are more
predisposed to getting high blood pressure
compared to women. As both sexes age, it becomes
more common for women to have it when they reach
65 years old. If you are diabetic, then your risk
is greater. 60 of individuals who have diabetes
also have high blood pressure, thereby making
this disease one of the key hypertension
co-factors. If you have atrial fibrillation, you
are also likely to have hypertension.
Hypertension can also be genetically inherited
so even if you have the healthiest lifestyle
possible this might still be a concern for you.
Feel like a potential candidate? Measure your
blood pressure and know for sure. Here are some
ways to manage hypertension effectively. Lifestyle
Matters Salt, Stress, Smoke, Alcohol and
Weight A high-sodium diet raises blood pressure
in the body because salt retains fluids, which in
turn increases blood pressure in your body.
Because sodium can result in the development of
symptoms of hypertension, the American Heart
Association or AHA cautions against eating more
than 1,500 mg of sodium each day. One of the
biggest culprits that are packed in sodium are
processed foods, which is why it is
best to limit its intake in your
daily diet. I nstead increase your intake of
food that are beneficial to your overall heart
health. Stress also causes a spike in your blood
pressure. Being stressed out may lead to other
co-factors, such as more alcohol use, poor diet
choices, or smoking all of which contribute to
high blood pressure.
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Omronhealthcare-ap.com/healthblog/en Being
overweight puts strain on your heart and thereby
spike your blood pressure. Calorie control is
necessary, as well as cutting down on unnecessary
sugars and fatty foods. Even small improvements
in your weight can improve your blood pressure
significantly. Pregnancy is also part of the
list of hypertension co-factors, because of what
is known as gestational hypertension. This may
even happen to women who have never had high
blood pressure. If proper treatment during
pregnancy is not given, it may lead to
preeclampsia, which can endanger the mother as
well as the baby. Knowledge is Power Although
hypertension is a silent killer, this does not
mean that all we can do is to cross our fingers
and hope we do not get it. For those who are set
to inherit it from their parents and those who
develop it as a result of an unhealthy lifestyle
or other co-factors, knowing all you can about
the condition and being intentional about
managing it is the best way to get ahead and
minimize its long term consequences.