Are you at risk? High Blood pressure or Hypertension can lead to potentially dangerous condition without even triggering any symptoms. There is only way out is to Know your risk factors for Hypertension.
The American College of Cardiology and The American Heart Association released new treatment guidelines for blood pressure November’17. According to ACA and AHA, the threshold kept for High Blood Pressure is 130/80 mm Hg from 140/90 mm Hg.
Blood pressure (BP) is the pressure of circulating blood on the walls of blood vessels. Our heart pumps the blood to the whole body. For this, it uses a force. The measure of this force is blood pressure.
With each passing day, high blood pressure aka hypertension patients are increasing and the worst thing is the age of these patients is decreasing.
Who are at risk?
There are some noted factors causing hypertension among the hypertensive patients are as follows-
- Age: Hypertension is though found in both children and adult, people aged over 60 years are more prone to. The arteries become less inelastic and narrower due to plaque buildup with age.
- Alcohol and Tobacco use: Hypertensive people or prone must cut down their alcohol and tobacco consumption.
- Sex: Hypertension is more common in men at a younger age and highly prevailing in older women.
- Size and weight: Obesity is a chief concern for many chronic diseases these days and so in hypertension also.
- Underlying medical condition: Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, kidney disease and high cholesterol levels.
- The family history of hypertensive parents
- A person with physical inactivity and poor diet habits (Too much salt intake)
- Excess stress or Anxiety
What causes Hypertension?
High BP may be physiological or pathological. And for psychological, it is still conflicting. Somewhere it is also called as Idiopathic (cause unidentified).
There are two medically identified types of hypertension;
- Primary or Essential Hypertension
- Secondary Hypertension
Primary Hypertension
This is gradually evolving type or condition which is also called as essential hypertension. In this, most of the adults are completely unaware of their high Blood Pressure. In as many as 95% of reported high blood pressure cases, the underlying cause cannot be determined.
Specialists are still puzzled what contrivance cause this slowly rising blood pressure without any trait. Though essential hypertension remains somewhat mysterious, it has been linked to certain risk factors.
Secondary Hypertension
This type is actually caused by an underlying another medical condition. It appears suddenly and become serious. After you are diagnosed with hypertension, your doctor may perform other tests such as blood and urine screening. Certain conditions and medications which can lead to this hypertension are:
- Congenital heart defects
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Kidney problems (most common)
- Thyroid problems
- Medication side effects
- Chronic alcohol use
- Adrenal gland problems
- Endocrine tumors
- Certain medications, such as birth control pills, cold remedies, decongestants
- Illegal drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine
- There are some physiological causes like exercise, obesity, etc. Again pathological causes are atherosclerosis, sodium sensitivity, alcohol and tobacco intake, hormonal imbalance, diabetes, vitamin deficiency, etc.
- Conflicting psychological causes may include depression, anxiety, or any psychological distress. Other causes may be family history, genetic predisposition, environmental factors, aging, etc.
High blood pressure is considered the first sign of your health condition. Ignoring the high blood pressure may further lead to serious health risk. Hence, it is necessary to take precautionary measures to control it. More focus should be on long-term ways rather than quick fixes to control high blood pressure. Here are 8 lifestyle changes you can make to lower your blood pressure.
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