High Blood Pressure or Hypertension
High blood pressure (HBP or hypertension) occurs when the blood pressure - the force with which blood presses the walls of blood vessels - is constantly too high.
How your blood pressure and blood system work
To survive and function properly, your tissues and organs need oxygen-rich blood that your circulatory system transports through your body. When your heart beats, it creates pressure that pushes blood through a network of tubular blood vessels, including arteries, veins and capillaries. This pressure, the blood pressure, is the result of two forces: The first force (systolic pressure) occurs when blood is pumped from the heart into the arteries that are part of the circulatory system. The second force (diastolic pressure) occurs when the heart rests between heart beats.
High blood pressure is the "silent killer".
You may not feel that something is wrong, but high blood pressure can silently cause harm that can threaten your health. The best prevention is to know your blood pressure level and make important changes to prevent and manage your high blood pressure.
High blood pressure risks
If the pressure is too high, it puts additional strain on the blood vessels, heart and other organs such as the brain, kidneys and eyes.
Persistent high blood pressure can increase the risk of several serious and potentially life-threatening diseases, such as
Cardiac disease
Heart attacks
Heart failure
Peripheral vascular disease
Aortic aneurysms
Kidney disease
Vscular dementia
If you suffer from high blood pressure, lowering your blood pressure, even in small amounts, can help reduce the risk of these diseases.
Treatment
Everyone with high blood pressure is advised to change their healthy lifestyle.
Whether or not medication is recommended depends on your blood pressure level and the risk of developing problems such as a heart attack or stroke.
Your doctor will take some blood and urine tests and ask questions about your health condition to determine the risk of other problems:
If your blood pressure is consistently above 140/90 mmHg, your doctor will take some blood and urine tests and ask you questions about your condition to determine the risk of other problems. (or 135/85 mmHg at home) but the risk of other problems is low, it is recommended that you change your lifestyle.
If your blood pressure is consistently above 140/90 mmHg (or 135/85 mmHg at home), you should change your lifestyle. (or 135/85 mmHg at home) and the risk of other problems is high, you will be offered medications to reduce your blood pressure in addition to lifestyle changes.
If your blood pressure consistently exceeds 160/100 mmHg, you will be offered medications to reduce your blood pressure in addition to lifestyle changes.
Lifestyle changes
There are some changes you could make to your lifestyle to reduce high blood pressure.
Some will lower your blood pressure within a few weeks, while others may take longer.
Give it a try:
Reduce your salt intake to less than 6 grams (0.2 ounces) per day, which is about a teaspoon - learn how to reduce the amount of salt in your diet.
Eat a low-calorie, balanced diet - including lots of fresh fruits and vegetables; get tips for a healthier diet
Be active - read a few tips for more exercises
Drink less alcohol - Get tips to reduce alcohol consumption, including downloading a beverage diary and recording your drinking habits.
Slimming - Find your ideal weight with the BMI health calculator and read weight loss tips if you are overweight.
Drink less caffeine - contained in coffee, tea and stakes.
quit smoking, get help to quit smoking.
You can take these measures today, whether or not you are taking blood pressure medication.
If you make these changes at an early stage, you can even avoid taking your medication.
Treatment for high blood pressure
Different types of Treatment can be used to control high blood pressure.
Many people have to take a combination of different medications.
If you are under 55, you will usually be offered an ACE inhibitor or an angiotensin-2 receptor blocker (ARB).
If you are 55 years old or older, or of any age, and you are of African or Caribbean descent, you will usually be offered a calcium channel blocker.
You may have to take blood pressure medicine for the rest of your life. However, your doctor may cut back or stop treatment if your blood pressure remains under control for several years.
It is very important that you take your medication as prescribed. If you miss a dose, the medication will not work.
The medicine will not necessarily make you feel different, but it does not mean it will not work.
Medicines used to treat high blood pressure can have side effects, but most people don't get them.
If you have side effects, you should not stop taking the medicine. Talk to your doctor or health worker who can advise you to change the medicine.
High blood pressure in older people
The target blood pressure for persons over 80 years of age is below 150/90 mmHg when measured in a clinic or surgery and below 145/85 mmHg when measured at home.
While taking medication to reduce blood pressure is certainly beneficial for persons under the age of 80, it is less clear that it is beneficial for persons over 80.
It is currently believed that if you turn 80 while taking antihypertensive medication, you can continue treatment as long as it continues to help you and does not cause any side effects.
If you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure and you are over 80 years of age, your doctor will also take other health risks into account when deciding whether to treat you for high blood pressure.
Prevention
High blood pressure can often be prevented or reduced by eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, drinking moderate amounts of alcohol and not smoking.
Healthy eating
Reduce salt content in your food and eat a lot of fruits and vegetables.
Eatwell's guide highlights the different types of foods that make up our diet and shows how much we should eat in order to achieve a balanced and healthy diet.
Salt increases blood pressure. The more salt you eat, the higher your blood pressure. Try to eat less than 6 g (0.2 ounces) of salt a day, which is about a teaspoon.
A low-fat diet rich in fiber, such as wholemeal rice, bread and pasta, as well as large quantities of fruits and vegetables, also help to reduce blood pressure.
Try to eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.
Restrict alcohol consumption
If you drink too much alcohol regularly, your blood pressure may rise over time.
Maintaining the recommended level is the best way to reduce the risk of high blood pressure:
Men and women are advised not to drink more than 14 units per week on a regular basis.
Distribute your alcohol consumption for 3 days or more if you drink up to 14 units per week.
Find out how many units are in your favorite beverage and get tips on how to save it.
Alcohol also has a high calorie content, which results in weight gain and can further increase your blood pressure.
Lose weight
Being overweight makes the heart work harder to pump blood through the body, which can raise blood pressure.
Use the BMI Health Weight Calculator to see if you need to lose weight.
If you do need to lose weight, remember that even losing a few pounds can make a big difference to your blood pressure and overall health.
Activate
If you are active and exercise regularly, you will reduce your blood pressure by keeping your heart and blood vessels in good condition.
Regular exercise also helps you lose weight, which also helps lower your blood pressure.
Adults should practice medium intensity aerobics for at least 150 minutes (2 hours 30 minutes) each week, such as cycling or fast walking.
Physical activity may include anything from sports to walking and gardening.
Drinking more than 4 cups of coffee a day can increase your blood pressure.
If you are a big fan of coffee, tea or other coffee-containing drinks such as cola and some energy drinks, you should consider reducing them.
Drinking tea and coffee as part of a balanced diet is normal, but it is important to remember that these drinks are not your main or only source of fluid.
Quit smoking
Smoking does not directly cause high blood pressure, but significantly increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Like high blood pressure, smoking causes narrowing of the arteries.
If you smoke and have high blood pressure, your arteries narrow much faster and the risk of future heart or lung disease increases dramatically.
