A majority of people around the world suffer from high blood pressure. High Blood pressure is the measure of force against arteries. Are you the one who suffers from high blood pressure as well? Do you know the common signs and symptoms of high blood pressure? This article will give you comprehensive information about common signs and symptoms of high blood pressure. Most of the people usually tend to neglect this disorder. Even those who strive on medicines, take anti hypertensive medication for short period of time. Studies have shown that 85% of high blood pressure patients show non compliance with their medication. If you do not follow proper advice from your physician regarding how to control this disorder it may have adverse effects on your various organs such as the Heart, Kidneys, Brain and Eyes. If you want to save these vital organs, then you will have to keep your blood pressure under control and obey your physician's advice. Normal blood pressure of a fit person is 120/80. If this reading goes above 140/90, then you should consider yourself as a hypertensive patient. Between 120 and 140 is a pre hypertensive stage which can be controlled even by natural measures like exercise, low intake of salt, avoidance of smoking, maintaining lower levels of cholesterol and by consuming fresh fruits and vegetables. Causes » Many factors can affect blood pressure, including: · How much water and salt you have in your body · The condition of your kidneys, nervous system, or blood vessels · Your hormone levels You are more likely to be told your blood pressure is too high as you get older. This is because your blood vessels become stiffer as you age. When that happens, your blood pressure goes up. High blood pressure increases your chance of having a stroke, heart attack, heart failure, kidney disease, or early death. You have a higher risk of high blood pressure if: · You are African American · You are obese · You are often stressed or anxious · You drink too much alcohol (more than one drink per day for women and more than two drinks per day for men) · You eat too much salt in your diet · You have a family history of high blood pressure · You have diabetes · You smoke Most of the time, no cause of high blood pressure is found. This is called essential hypertension. High blood pressure that is caused by another medical condition or medication is called secondary hypertension. Secondary hypertension may be due to: · Chronic kidney disease · Disorders of the adrenal gland (such as pheochromocytoma orCushing syndrome) · Hyperparathyroidism · Pregnancy or preeclampsia · Medications such as birth control pills, diet pills, some cold medicines, and migraine medicines · Narrowed artery that supplies blood to the kidney (renal artery stenosis) | You can do many things to help control your blood pressure at home, including: · Eat a heart-healthy diet, including potassium and fiber, and drink plenty of water. · Exercise regularly -- at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise a day. · If you smoke, quit -- find a program that will help you stop. · Limit how much alcohol you drink -- one drink a day for women, two a day for men. · Limit the amount of sodium (salt) you eat -- aim for less than 1,500 mg per day. · Reduce stress -- try to avoid things that cause you stress. You can also try meditation or yoga. · Stay at a healthy body weight -- find a weight-loss program to help you, if you need it. Your health care provider can help you find programs for losing weight, stopping smoking, and exercising. You can also get a referral from your doctor to a dietitian, who can help you plan a diet that is healthy for you. There are many different medicines to treat high blood pressure. · Often, a single blood pressure drug may not be enough to control your blood pressure, and you may need to take two or more drugs. · It is very important that you take the medicines prescribed to you. · If you have side effects, your health care provider can substitute a different medicine. In-Depth Treatment » Prevention The same lifestyle changes you may follow to help control your blood pressure will also help prevent high blood pressure from occurring in most people. |