High Blood Pressure

High Blood Pressure: What You Need to Know

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a common condition that affects about one in three adults in the United States. It occurs when the force of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries is too high, putting extra strain on your heart and blood vessels.

High blood pressure can have serious consequences for your health, such as increasing your risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, and vision loss. Therefore, it is important to monitor your blood pressure regularly and take steps to lower it if it is too high.

What causes high blood pressure?

There are many factors that can contribute to high blood pressure, such as:

- Age: As you get older, your arteries tend to become stiffer and narrower, which can increase your blood pressure.

- Family history: If you have close relatives who have high blood pressure, you may be more likely to develop it as well.

- Race: African Americans are more likely to have high blood pressure than other racial groups in the United States.

- Weight: Being overweight or obese can put extra pressure on your heart and blood vessels, leading to high blood pressure.

- Diet: Eating too much salt, processed foods, saturated fats, and sugar can raise your blood pressure. On the other hand, eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats can lower it.

- Physical activity: Being physically inactive can make your heart work harder and increase your blood pressure. On the other hand, being physically active can help lower it by strengthening your heart and improving your circulation.

- Smoking: Smoking damages your blood vessels and increases your risk of high blood pressure. Quitting smoking can help lower your blood pressure and improve your overall health.

- Alcohol: Drinking too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure and damage your liver and kidneys. Limiting your alcohol intake to no more than one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men can help lower your blood pressure.

- Stress: Chronic stress can cause your body to release hormones that increase your heart rate and blood pressure. Finding healthy ways to cope with stress, such as meditation, yoga, breathing exercises, or hobbies, can help lower your blood pressure.

- Medications: Some medications, such as birth control pills, steroids, decongestants, and pain relievers, can raise your blood pressure. Talk to your doctor about the possible side effects of any medications you are taking and whether you need to adjust them.

How is high blood pressure diagnosed?

The only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to measure it with a device called a sphygmomanometer, which consists of a cuff that wraps around your arm and a gauge that shows the reading. You can measure your blood pressure at home with a digital monitor or at a pharmacy, clinic, or doctor's office.

Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and expressed as two numbers: systolic and diastolic. Systolic is the top number that measures the pressure when your heart beats. Diastolic is the bottom number that measures the pressure when your heart rests between beats.

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mmHg. Elevated blood pressure is between 120/80 and 129/80 mmHg. High blood pressure (stage 1) is between 130/80 and 139/89 mmHg. High blood pressure (stage 2) is 140/90 mmHg or higher. Hypertensive crisis is when blood pressure is higher than 180/120 mmHg and requires immediate medical attention.

How is high blood pressure treated?

The treatment for high blood pressure depends on how high it is and whether you have other risk factors or health conditions. In general, the treatment options include:

- Lifestyle changes: Making healthy changes to your diet, physical activity, weight, smoking, alcohol intake, and stress management can help lower your blood pressure and prevent complications.

- Medications: If lifestyle changes are not enough to lower your blood pressure, your doctor may prescribe one or more medications that work by relaxing your blood vessels, reducing the amount of fluid in your body, or slowing down your heart rate. Some common types of medications for high blood pressure are diuretics, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), and aldosterone antagonists. You may need to take these medications for life or until your doctor tells you otherwise.

- Monitoring: You should check your blood pressure regularly at home or at a health care setting to see how well your treatment is working and whether you need to make any adjustments. You should also have regular check-ups with your doctor to monitor your overall health and manage any other conditions you may have.

Conclusion

High blood pressure is a serious condition that can increase your risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, and vision loss. It is important to know your blood pressure numbers and keep them under control. Thanks for reading!