Keep a Check on your Blood Pressure

Every time the heart pumps, it forces blood through the arteries. That force in the artery  is called blood pressure. The upper number is called the systolic pressure, the bottom number  is called the diastolic pressure.

Elevated blood pressure (hypertension) is diagnosed when systolic pressure is above 140 mm of hg and/or diastolic pressure is above 90 mm of hg.

The Silent Killer:

Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) have always been said to be a silent killer. The uncontrolled blood pressure can lead to permanent damage to our vital organs like kidney, heart and brain. In fact hypertension is responsible for stroke, chronic kidney disease and coronary artery disease. If it is not checked at the right time then it can also lead to problems like blurred vision and erectile dysfunction. The worst part is most of the time High Blood Pressure itself has no symptoms as such and when it hits, it hits hard. Hence hypertension is regarded as the silent killer.

Today 20% of youth due to poor lifestyles suffer from hypertension. In many the same remains undetected. This hypertension along with co morbidity of diabetes, heart disease , chronic kidney disease formulates a deadly health cocktail.

 Types of Hypertension:

There are two types of hypertension: primary or essential hypertension and secondary hypertension

• Primary hypertension is when there is no identifiable cause of high blood pressure. This type tends to develop over several years.
• Secondary hypertension is caused by an underlying condition. It tends to appear suddenly and causes a higher reading than primary hypertension. Some conditions that can lead to secondary hypertension are kidney disease, thyroid disease, sleep apnea, or alcohol abuse

Due to its asymptomatic nature the hypertension patients coming to clinics is only the tip of an iceberg. Also when they finally decide to come they already have complications and are surrounded with numerous health issues. Therefore, the frequent measurement  of blood pressure  is required to pick up the silent disease as early as possible.

Ways to Prevent High BP:

Here are ways you can help reduce your high blood pressure:

• Weight reduction– Maintain a healthy body weight (Body Mass Index or BMI of 18.5-24.9).
• DASH eating plan– Adopt the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat milk products with reduced saturated fat intake.
• Sodium restriction– Avoid eating added salt.
• Physical activity – It is vital to be physically active. It not only controls the  Blood pressure but keeps you in overall good health

The above mentioned points are not only important to keep a check on your Blood Pressure count, these steps are also paramount to keep yourself in good health too.

There are also several medications to treat hypertension. The category of medication prescribed depends on your blood pressure measurements and other medical history. With life style modification and medical treatment it is possible  to control hypertension. The fluctuations can be curtailed though numerous recent therapies.