Hypertension or high blood pressure is a widespread disease that is affecting nearly 30% of the world’s population. It is majorly a lifestyle disorder caused due to excessive salt in the diet, obesity, alcoholism, sedentary lifestyle, and the risk increases if you have a genetic predisposition for the disease.
You can visit a local chemist like Blooms The Chemist for regular blood pressure evaluation. Their staffs are friendly, professional, and also an expert in reading blood pressure accurately and keeping you informed so that you can take quick action.
How would you know if you are suffering from hypertension?
When the blood flows through our arteries, the flow generates a pressure against the arterial walls. This pressure is termed as blood pressure.
The upper reading that you see in the blood pressure machine is systolic pressure and is a measure of pressure when your heart beats. The reading at the bottom is your diastolic pressure and is a measure during the resting phase of the heart.
It is named as a silent killer because it has no major warning signs. The only way to know is to frequently monitor your blood pressure either at a doctor’s sitting or at home.
If at any three different instances measured 24 hours apart each, your blood pressure reading is in the high range, it is termed as hypertension and you need medical assistance to bring it back to normal.
Blood pressure range
- A pressure reading of less than 90/60 mmHg is low blood pressure or hypotension and you might need IV fluids administration depending on the symptoms.
- A pressure reading between 90-120 systolic and 60-80 diastolic is termed as normal blood pressure.
- A pressure reading between 120-139 systolic and 80-89 diastolic is termed as slightly elevated or pre-hypertension which can be reversed with lifestyle changes.
- A blood pressure over 140/90 mmHg is hypertension and requires treatment with anti-hypertensive and regular monitoring.
Risks associated with high blood pressure
The elasticity of arteries reduces when blood flows through them with a high pressure for a long time. This can reduce the blood flow and oxygen saturation of vital organs and can result in:
- Heart disease: Angina or chest pain; heart attack and even heart failure.
- Nervous system disease: Brain stroke is common in people with sustained high blood pressure as the cells of the brain die in the absence of sufficient oxygen and nutrient flow to them.
- Kidney disease: Your risk of developing CKD is high when you suffer from hypertension and the risk increases if you have coexisting diabetes too.
- Eye disease: You can lose your eyesight due to hypertension as the high blood pressure can damage the arteries of retina where image is focused for you to be able to see. This condition is called hypertensive retinopathy.
Is there anything you do to keep your blood pressure in control?
Lifestyle changes starting today can help you in managing your blood pressure. Here are some changes you can incorporate today as a first step towards control:
- Walk for at least 30 minutes every day for 5 days in a week.
- Limit your salt intake. Have a high fibrous diet. Eat small meals at regular intervals. Choose lean meat over red meat.
- Limit alcohol intake and quit smoking.
- Maintain a healthy BMI.
- Mediate or yoga can each day for a few minutes can help in reducing your stress levels.
Consult a medical physician and monitor your blood pressure frequently to prevent it from creating irreversible damage to the vital organs.