If you thought hypertension, or high blood pressure1, was a minor health concern, think again. It is the major cause of heart disease and stroke worldwide.
Over 1 billion individuals worldwide suffer from hypertension, which can cause disability, mortality, and a low quality of life. Thus, it’s critical to understand what causes hypertension and what preventive actions we may take.
Understanding Hypertension
Imagine your blood vessels are like garden hoses. If the water pressure is too high, it can damage the hose over time. Similarly, when your blood pressure is too high, it can harm your arteries and your heart. But hypertension isn’t about feeling tense or nervous.
It’s a long-term health problem that can lead to serious issues like heart disease and stroke. However, the good news is that it’s highly treatable with lifestyle changes and medication.
The Big Picture: Hypertension Worldwide
Hypertension isn’t a small problem. It’s a big deal worldwide. The World Health Organization says it’s the number one reason people die too early worldwide. It’s a bit like a sneaky ninja, often showing no symptoms, which makes it hard to spot and treat.
This isn’t just about our health. It’s also about money. Dealing with hypertension and its complications can cost a lot, leading to higher healthcare costs and less productivity at work.
Some medications used to treat hypertension can also be expensive, like Norvasc2. But you can avail of Norvasc Discounted Rates with a prescription discount card. It’s worth looking into if you’re dealing with the costs of hypertension.
What Puts You At Risk?
What makes some people more likely to get hypertension? Well, there are some things we can’t change, like getting older or having parents with hypertension. But lifestyle choices play a big role, too. Eating too much salty food, not exercising enough, smoking, and drinking alcohol can all increase your risk.
When you consume too much salt, it disrupts the balance of water and electrolytes in your body3. When your body has more water, the volume of blood increases. This makes your heart have to work harder and leads to higher blood pressure.
If you don’t exercise enough, your heart muscles become weaker and less able to pump blood around the body. This can lead to higher blood pressure, too. Smoking damages blood vessels and increases cholesterol levels, both risk factors for hypertension. Drinking too much alcohol raises your blood pressure and puts extra strain on your heart.
But remember, even if you have some risk factors, that doesn’t mean you’ll definitely develop hypertension. It all depends on the lifestyle choices you make and the medical attention you get.
Symptoms and Diagnosis
Here’s the tricky part: Hypertension often doesn’t show any symptoms. Many people with high blood pressure don’t even know they have it. That’s why getting regular check-ups is so important, it’s the best way to catch hypertension early.
So, how do doctors diagnose hypertension? They measure your blood pressure using a tool called a sphygmomanometer (that’s a mouthful). If your blood pressure readings are high several times, you’ll be diagnosed with hypertension.
Management and Treatment
Good news! Hypertension can be managed. Usually, doctors will suggest medication and lifestyle changes. Medications help reduce your blood pressure, while lifestyle changes can tackle the root causes of hypertension.
What kind of lifestyle changes? Things like eating healthier, moving more, reducing alcohol, and quitting smoking. These changes can help manage hypertension and make you feel better overall.
Prevention
Preventing hypertension is even better than treating it. Many of the things that help manage hypertension can also prevent it. This includes eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, limiting alcohol, and avoiding tobacco.
Prevention isn’t just about dodging disease. It’s about creating a lifestyle that promotes long-term health and happiness. So, even if you don’t have hypertension, these habits are worth adopting.
Hypertension and Kids
You might think hypertension is just an adult problem, but kids can get it, too. It’s not as common, but with changes in diet and less physical activity, more kids are being diagnosed with hypertension. Regular check-ups are important for kids, too!
Helping kids understand the importance of healthy habits – like eating well and staying active – is a great way to prevent hypertension. After all, habits formed in childhood often carry into adulthood. It is also important to be aware of other hypertension-related issues, such as too much screen time and poor sleep.
Not having enough sleep can disrupt hormones that impact blood pressure, while too much screen time means less time spent exercising. Teaching kids the importance of a healthy lifestyle is the best way to avoid hypertension and its associated complications. So, it’s worth talking to them about it.
Final Thoughts
Hypertension is a big deal, but we’re not helpless against it. Thus, don’t let it sneak up on you. Get regular check-ups and make healthy lifestyle changes. That way, you can reduce your risk of hypertension and live a happy, healthy life.
- Obisesan, T. O., Obisesan, O. A., Martins, S., Alamgir, L., Bond, V., Maxwell, C., & Gillum, R. F. (2008). High blood pressure, hypertension, and high pulse pressure are associated with poorer cognitive function in persons aged 60 and older: the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 56(3), 501-509. ↩︎
- Luthy, K. E., Peterson, N. E., & Wilkinson, J. (2008). Cost-efficient treatment for uninsured or underinsured patients with hypertension, depression, diabetes mellitus, insomnia, and gastroesophageal reflux. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 20(3), 136-143. ↩︎
- Lobo, D. N. (2004). Fluid, electrolytes and nutrition: physiological and clinical aspects. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 63(3), 453-466. ↩︎
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