High blood pressure refers to a condition in which your heart is pumping blood through your arteries at a force or pressure that is considered above normal. High blood pressure is also known as hypertension. It is normal to have a high blood pressure when you are undergoing intense physical activity, but it becomes abnormal when you have a high blood pressure in resting states.
High blood pressure is present when you have a resting blood pressure that is measured to be above 140/90 mmHg.
High blood pressure is a relatively common condition in adults, and becomes more common as you age.
High blood pressure does not usually produce any symptoms, hence it’s other name: ‘the silent killer’, but can lead to severe complications. There are different states of high blood pressure that can be experienced in individuals, depending on the severity – mild, moderate or severe high blood pressure.
The organs in our body are capable of resisting this increase in blood pressure for quite some time. High blood pressure can therefore go unnoticed. That is why it is important to check your blood pressure regularly.
Despite not producing any symptoms, high blood pressure can lead to many conditions if it goes untreated for a long period of time. It could lead to heart attack, heart failure, kidney disease, and stroke.
While high blood pressure is a condition that occurs more commonly with age, it is associated with a number of risk factors. Some individuals can be more prone to getting high blood pressure if it is common in the family. High blood pressure can be the result of an unhealthy lifestyle.
Obesity and lack of physical activity can lead to high blood pressure in individuals. Having a diet that is high is salt has also been found to contribute to high blood pressure. Drinking a lot of alcohol can also predispose people to high blood pressure.
There are certain drugs that are capable of causing this condition too. These include the combined contraceptive pill, Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), some nasal drops and sprays, some cough medicine and even some eye drops. It is not certain whether some forms of stress can affect blood pressure.
Furthermore, the effects of high blood pressure can be made worse if you smoke, eat a diet high in fat, have high blood cholesterol and/or have diabetes.
There are different ways you can treat and prevent high blood pressure. First of all, pursuing a healthier lifestyle with a high-fiber, low-fat and low-salt diet and regular physical activity, will help reduce your blood pressure. Also, making sure that you have a healthy weight is important too, and this can be managed by a healthy diet and exercise.
You should give up smoking and limit your alcohol intake. Apart from taking on a healthy lifestyle, you can take anti-hypertensive medications which will help lower your blood pressure. If you suffer from HBP you need the advice from your doctor on how to manage your high blood pressure.
For more information on the silent killer high blood pressure or HBP be sure to visit the main page here: High Blood Pressure – Natural Remedies