Blood pressure is the force exerted on the walls of arteries as blood flows through them.
Most people with high blood pressure (also called hypertension) have no noticeable symptoms. Because of this, he is often referred to as the silent killer.
If high blood pressure is not controlled, excessive pressure on arterial walls can damage blood vessels and lead to cardiovascular disease. High blood pressure can also cause significant damage to vital organs over time. The extent of the damage depends on the severity of the high blood pressure and how long it has gone untreated.
Know the risk factors for high blood pressure
Several factors and variables can put you at a higher risk of developing high blood pressure. Understanding these risk factors can help you notice subtle changes in blood pressure and alert you to changes in your physiology. Here are the main risk factors for high blood pressure:
1) age
In general, the older you are, the higher your risk of high blood pressure. If you are over 40 and have other known risk factors, you should monitor your blood pressure closely.
2) obesity
The more you weigh, the more blood is needed to carry oxygen and nutrients to your body. Because of this, obesity is associated with high blood pressure and high blood pressure with many other diseases that can affect your overall health and life expectancy. Medications should be started when high blood pressure is diagnosed. But when the drugs are combined with weight loss, significant improvements are achieved. A BMI over 30 is considered obese.
3) family history
If you have family members with high blood pressure, your chances of developing it are significantly higher. This is due to both genetics and lifestyle. If you have a family history of high blood pressure, you should take preventive measures to avoid similar health problems.
4) Diet
Diet plays a very important role in the risk and reduction of high blood pressure. People who drink regularly have higher blood pressure than people who don't drink. Eating too much salt and too much-saturated fat can also contribute to high blood pressure. Reducing and avoiding these items has been shown to lower blood pressure.
5) smoking
Smoking causes blood vessels to narrow, which increases blood pressure. It also lowers the oxygen saturation of the blood, requiring the heart to pump faster to keep up, leading to high blood pressure.
6) stress
In this fast-paced world of ever-increasing demands, managing stress can literally save your life. Over time, the wear and tear of mental stress can have serious effects on your blood pressure and overall health. During times of extreme stress, it's normal to experience a racing heartbeat. However, under chronic stress, your heart rate never returns to normal. If you don't take steps to control your stress levels, this ongoing stress can cause significant damage.
7) Diabetes
About 25% of people with type 1 diabetes and 80% of people with type 2 diabetes have high blood pressure. Diabetes increases the risk of heart disease, kidney disease, and stroke. High blood pressure also increases these risks. Having diabetes and high blood pressure increases your risk of serious health problems. If you have diabetes, your doctor will want to monitor and control your blood pressure carefully.
Precautions
If you have more than one of these risk factors, it would be wise to educate yourself about high blood pressure and avoid triggers that could affect your health. For example, if you have a family history of diabetes and smoke, you should take steps to improve your health before complications from high blood pressure develop. Take a smoking cessation class, reduce your fat and salt intake, and see your doctor regularly.
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