Commitment to fight hypertension goes a long way to keep blood pressure under check

Heart diseases and hypertension are a worldwide concern with about a billion people suffering from hypertension or high blood pressure according to a report published by the World Health Organization (WHO). Hypertension is dangerous because it is a silent killer as it leads to various cardiovascular diseases the most prominent being heart attacks and strokes.  Moreover, high blood pressure can even lead to blindness and related to kidney failures, thyroid problems, sleep apnea, and many more diseases. It even has a close link between obesity and diabetes which means that those suffering from hypertension are living on a heap of gunpowder likely to explode any moment. In the US, around 85 million people have high blood pressure.

With 10 million people dying every year from high blood pressure it is the most prominent cause of death throughout the world.  The problem is less in developed countries due to improved awareness and people availing proper health care and treatment facilities, but underdeveloped countries like Africa remains most affected. Even if the body does not show any signs and symptoms of sickness, merely having high blood pressure is indication enough that things are not good with your health. Persistent high blood pressure can turn fatal if people ignore the underlying threats because even if people might survive for years with high blood pressure, it is always advisable to check blood pressure regularly and undergo treatment to keep it under control.

Types of blood pressure

• Primary hypertension – When you have blood pressure it might not always be possible to detect the cause for it and this known as primary hypertension. Most people suffering from hypertension come under this category. Usually, this kind of hypertension does not happen overnight but develops gradually over many years. It can happen due to aging as well as for the type of lifestyle and environment.

• Secondary hypertension – Secondary hypertension develops when the blood pressure increases due to the side effect of some medicines or due to some other health problems. Problems of the adrenal glands or thyroid, kidney problems, sleep apnea, and some medications can make the blood pressure go up.

According to guidelines issued in November 2017 by the American Heart Association blood pressure higher than 130 over 80 mm of Hg (mercury) is defined as hypertension against the average level of 120 over 80.  The higher number is the systolic reading when the heart squeezes and sends blood across the body while the lower number is diastolic reading when the blood returns to the heart. The systolic reading is more important than the diastolic reading.

Symptoms and Causes

The only way to determine if you are suffering from hypertension is to monitor the blood pressure regularly because in most cases there are no symptoms attached to it. This is the greatest threat of hypertension and the reason why it has turned out to be a silent killer. However, occasionally it can show up in the form of headaches and nosebleeds while some people might experience shortness of breath.  However, it is difficult to link such symptoms directly with hypertension as it could relate to many other diseases.

It might be normal for older people to have high blood pressure that increases with age but nowadays, even younger people are suffering from hypertension. Genetics and lifestyle, as well as food habits, are often responsible for high blood pressure especially when detected at an early age.  Some kinds of medications can also increase blood pressure which should subside once you stop taking it.

Some typical factors can increase blood pressure.

• High cholesterol, diabetes, hormone and kidney problems that are chronic in nature push up blood pressure as it can also happen from a diet rich in fat, salt, and cholesterol.
• High blood pressure can be hereditary, i.e. it passes down generations in the family, and lack of physical activities is responsible for it too.
• Alcohol and smoking increase blood pressure and too much stressful lifestyle can make it worse.
• Those who are overweight and obese suffer from hypertension.
• Sometimes hypertension has historical links to some specific races as non- Hispanic people are more like to be prone to hypertension.

 Mitigating the risks of hypertension

It is difficult to say if it is possible to prevent high blood pressure but you can keep it under control and avert the risks arising from it by taking some control measures.  The best way to address high blood pressure is to correct some lifestyle factors that help to manage hypertension better.

Regular exercise with a balanced diet containing low salt and fat is a sure way to lower the blood pressure and keep it as close as possible to the prescribed limit. Lifestyle changes contribute the most in maintaining blood pressure under check. Abstaining from tobacco especially smoking and alcohol should also help just as keeping the body weight within the desired range also helps to prevent blood pressure from rising. Most importantly, you must learn to relax and keep stress under control because it is one of the most dreaded reasons for pushing up blood pressure.

Medications 

It is a lifelong commitment to control blood pressure and those suffering from hypertension have to depend on medications, sometimes throughout their lives to keep blood pressure under control. A range of drugs is available for the treatment of high blood pressure. The treatment begins with a low dosage, and ultimately a combination of two drugs may become necessary. From diuretics to beta blockers, from vasodilators to calcium channel blockers and from central agonists to peripheral adrenergic inhibitor and more, doctors use various kinds of drugs for the treatment of hypertension.

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It is not difficult to manage hypertension provided you have the will to counter it effectively with medications and by making changes in lifestyle and food habits.