What You Need To Know: Hypertension High Blood Pressure

Hypertension
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What YOU Need to Know
HYPERTENSION HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
* What is blood pressure?
* What is high blood pressure (hypertension)?
* What are the risk factors and consequences of hypertension? What can be done to prevent hypertension?
* Can hypertension be treated?
WHAT IS BLOOD PRESSURE?
Blood pressure (BP) is the force of blood flow through the blood vessels/arteries so that your body can remain fully functional and healthy. Therefore, blood pressure by itself (in the normal sense of the word) is not a disease.
Normal blood pressure is usually 120/80 or less. However, when the measurement reads 120-139/80-89, this could be an indication of potential hypertension or what is known as prehypertension. When the measurement reads more than 140/90, it could be indicative of hypertension and immediate measures to restore it to normal should be undertaken (CDC, 2019).
WHAT IS HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE?
High blood pressure/hypertension is caused by an obstruction in the normal flow of blood through the blood vessels due to a blood clot or narrowing due to deposition of a fatty substance known as plaque. The strain caused by the buildup of pressure in the arteries is what elevates the readings on the blood pressure gauge.
RISK FACTORS
* Primary cause of hypertension is unknown. However, there are certain factors that contribute to the development of the disease. These include poor diet, tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption, genetics, diabetes, aging, lack of exercise, and race. Poor diet means eating foods that have high sodium content and low vegetable and fruit intake.
* Aging is also a risk factor considering people aged 65 years and above are affected by hypertension. The genetic component comes in because a family history of high blood pressure increases one's risk of developing the disease (Pazoki et al., 2018). At the same time, people of the Caribbean and African more prone hypertension (Cooper et al 2015).
CONSEQUENCES OF HYPERTENSION
Regular checking of your BP is very important to avoid the health complications associated with untreated hypertension. Moreover, hypertension usually does not have specific symptoms. In case you have high blood pressure and the condition goes untreated, you could be at a hig...