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How to Prevent Hypertension? Your Guide to Understand it Better
Picture this: You’re enjoying a delicious bake and shark on Maracas Beach, the sun warming your skin, laughter echoing around you. Suddenly, a sharp pain pierces your head, your vision blurs, and a wave of nausea hits. What’s happening? If you or someone you love has ever experienced this, it could be a sign of hypertensive crisis complications.
Knowing the signs of high blood pressure and what to do in an emergency can be the difference between a quick recovery and fatal consequences.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. With the proper information and lifestyle changes, you can manage your health. In this blog post, we’ll explore how to prevent hypertension, exploring everything from its causes, symptoms and hypertensive crisis complications.
What is Hypertension?
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, happens when your blood pushes too hard against the artery walls. This constant pressure is like a wear-and-tear process on your arteries, gradually damaging them over time. If ignored, you can be in a trap of serious problems like heart attacks and strokes.
One thing about high blood pressure is that it’s often called a “silent killer.” Why? Because most of the time, you won’t feel any symptoms, even though the damage is happening inside your body. It’s like a hidden problem, silently causing trouble.
So, how do we measure this pressure? It’s done by taking your blood pressure (BP), which involves two numbers:
- The top number (systolic): This measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats and squeezes blood out.
- The bottom number (diastolic): This measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart relaxes between beats.
The measurements are in millimeters of mercury (mmHg). By understanding your blood pressure numbers and what they mean, you can take steps on how to prevent hypertension and protect your health.
What is a Hypertensive Crisis?
A hypertensive crisis is a sudden, dangerous spike in your blood pressure. It means your blood pressure has rapidly increased to 180/120 or higher, compared to an average level of around 120/80.
This requires immediate medical attention. Without treatment, a hypertensive crisis can cause serious harm to your body and can even be life-threatening.
What are Hypertensive Crisis Complications?
A hypertensive crisis can be dangerous and cause serious complications. A few of the hypertensive crisis complications include:
- Pulmonary Edema: (Fluid buildup in the lungs, making breathing difficult.)
- Hypertensive encephalopathy (Swelling in the brain that can lead to confusion, headaches, and even seizures.)
- Heart failure
- Heart attack
- Aortic dissection
- Stroke
- Bleeding around your brain or brain damage
It’s important to remember that this is a medical emergency and needs instant attention to prevent these potentially devastating hypertensive crisis complications.
Causes of Hypertension
Two main factors determine your blood pressure: the amount of blood your heart pumps and how easily that blood flows through your arteries. If your heart pumps a large volume of blood or if your arteries are narrow, your blood pressure will be higher.
There are 2 main types:
Primary Hypertension (Essential Hypertension): This is the most common type, and for most adults, there isn’t single, identifiable cause. It develops gradually over time, and factors like plaque buildup in the arteries can increase your risk.
Secondary Hypertension: This type has a specific underlying cause, such as a medical condition or specific medications. It often appears suddenly and can cause higher blood pressure than the primary type. Some potential causes include:
- Kidney problems
- Adrenal gland issues
- Thyroid conditions
- Sleep apnea
- Certain medications (even some over-the-counter ones)
- Illegal drug use
- Problems with your blood vessels
What are some Essential Hypertension Symptoms?
Hypertension is a global health concern, affecting an estimated 1.28 billion adults worldwide. Shockingly, many people with this condition aren’t even aware they have it.
People don’t experience any noticeable symptoms. But when blood pressure gets high, it can cause a variety of warning signs, like severe headaches, blurry vision, and chest pain.
If your blood pressure is extremely high (180/120 or higher), you may experience a range of hypertension symptoms, such as:
- Pounding headaches
- Chest pain
- Dizziness
- Difficulty breathing
- Feeling sick to your stomach
- Blurred vision
- Anxiety or confusion
- Buzzing in the ears
- Nosebleeds
- Irregular heartbeat
If you have any of these symptoms and high blood pressure, seek medical help immediately.
The only way to know for sure if you have high blood pressure is to have it measured by a health professional. This is a quick and painless process. While you can check your blood pressure at home, seeing a doctor or nurse to assess your overall risk and check for any related health conditions is essential. Register yourself for free and book an appointment on Cellmaflex and learn how to prevent hypertension.
How to Prevent Hypertension?
Taking care of your health can be your initial step towards how to prevent hypertension. Here’s what you can do:
- Eat a balanced diet: Avoid salt, and eat plenty of fruits, veggies, and whole grains. The DASH diet is a great example of an eating plan designed for this purpose.
- Get moving: Aim to achieve at least 2.5 hours of moderate or 1 hour of intense exercise per week. Activities like brisk walking or jogging get your heart pumping and help lower blood pressure.
- Watch your weight: Extra weight strains your heart and blood vessels. Keeping a healthy weight can help manage your blood pressure and protect your overall health.
- Limit alcohol: Excessive alcohol can make your blood pressure high. Stick to moderate amounts – no more than two drinks a day for men and one for women.
- Don’t smoke: Smoking is one of the significant risk factors for hypertension and heart disease. If you smoke, quitting is the best thing.
- Manage stress: Find healthy ways to relax, like exercise, meditation, or spending time in nature.
What is DASH Diet and How it Can Help in Hypertension?
The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is a simple way to eat that can lower your blood pressure. It focuses on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, poultry, beans, nuts, and low-fat dairy. These foods are packed with good stuff like potassium, magnesium, calcium, fiber, and protein.
The DASH diet naturally cuts back on salt, sugar, red meat, and processed foods. This is a big part of why it’s so good and help you on how to prevent hypertension.
What is Hypertension in Pregnancy?
If you’re pregnant, your midwife will keep an eye on your blood pressure at every appointment. High blood pressure usually doesn’t cause any noticeable symptoms, but it’s important to monitor during pregnancy as it can sometimes lead to complications.
If you have a history of high blood pressure before becoming pregnant, you’ll be referred to a specialist who can explain the potential risks and discuss the best treatment and tips on how to prevent hypertension. If you develop high blood pressure for the first time during your pregnancy, you’ll be seen by a midwife or another healthcare professional at the hospital. They have special training in managing high blood pressure during pregnancy, so you’ll be in good hands.
FAQs
Why is my blood pressure high in the morning?
Throughout the day, your blood pressure undergoes natural fluctuations. For most people, it’s usually lowest in the morning. However, some experience what’s called “morning hypertension,” where blood pressure spikes upon waking. This could be due to various factors like:
- Hormone changes: Your body releases hormones in the morning that can raise your blood pressure.
- Underlying conditions: Certain medical conditions, like sleep apnea or kidney disease, can worsen morning hypertension.
- Medications: Some medications wear off overnight, leading to a morning rise in blood pressure.
Can high BP cause kidney damage?
High blood pressure can harm the kidneys by narrowing the blood vessels, reducing blood flow, and impairing the kidneys’ ability to filter waste. Learning about how to prevent hypertension is vital to prevent kidney damage.
How does diabetes lead to hypertension?
Diabetes affects your body in several ways, and your kidneys are especially vulnerable. If you’re unaware about how to prevent hypertension, over time, high blood sugar can damage the tiny blood vessels in your kidneys, causing scarring. This scarring makes it harder for your kidneys to filter waste and extra fluid, leading to a buildup of salt and water in your body. This, in turn, raises your blood pressure.
Diabetes can even harm the small blood vessels throughout your body, making them stiff and less flexible. These damaged vessels can’t function properly, which also contributes to high blood pressure.
How do you know if you are hypertensive?
A simple blood pressure test at your doctor’s office or clinic is the best way to know if you’re hypertensive. The quick, painless test can give you valuable information about your heart health.
What is white coat hypertension?
White coat hypertension means your blood pressure temporarily rises when they visit the doctor. It’s essential to be aware of both types of high blood pressure to ensure you receive the appropriate treatment and care.
Bottom Line
With the help of early detection and lifestyle changes and learning how to prevent hypertension, you can manage your blood pressure.
Remember, the only way to know your blood pressure numbers is to have them checked. It’s a simple, painless test that can provide valuable information about your cardiovascular health. If you’ve been putting it off, now is the time to act.
Don’t wait for symptoms to appear. Manage your records and book an appointment with a healthcare professional today on Cellmaflex. They can assess your risk factors, check your blood pressure, and help you develop a personalized plan to manage your health and prevent complications.
