High blood pressure, or hypertension, affects more than 50 million Americans. Many are not even aware that they suffer from this potentially deadly disease!
Unlike many medical tests, the test for high blood pressure is quick, cheap and painless. A blood pressure reading is performed after an inflatable cuff is placed around your arm. The cuff is inflated, and then the air is slowly released from the cuff. As the pressure in the cuff decreases, the person performing the test is able to determine your blood pressure reading.
Systolic pressure is measured as your blood is being pumped through your vessels. A reading over 140 is considered high.
Diastolic pressure is your blood pressure between heartbeats. A reading over 90 is considered high.
If one, or both, of these readings is high, you may have high blood pressure. This can be confirmed by having your pressure read repeatedly over several days. If it is consistently high, you have high blood pressure.
Risk Factors
Family history of high blood pressure
Being over sixty – half of all women over sixty have high blood pressure!
African American's and Latino's, have a higher risk of developing high blood pressure than the general population.
Obesity.
A normal blood pressure, which is naturally high.
A recent studies have indicated that anxiety and depression can be risk factors.
If you are taking oral contraceptives, talk to your doctor about the risks they can pose, in regard to high blood pressure.
Pregnancy can also induce a rapid-onset form of hypertension called Preeclampsia.
Diabetes does not directly cause high blood pressure, but people with diabetes are more likely to suffer form it, and should be especially diligent in having their blood pressure checked.
Don't smoke – smoking in and of itself may not cause high blood pressure, but it does increase your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
Limit the amount of salt and sodium in your diet.
Eat a low cholesterol diet. It has not been proven that high cholesterol causes high blood pressure. However, as the blood vessels become clogged with cholesterol, it can cause your blood pressure to rise. Another reason to lower your cholesterol intake is that there is a direct correlation between high cholesterol and heart disease.
Eat a diet high in potassium, calcium, and magnesium.
Also consider adding more fish to your diet, it has not been proven that eating fish will actually keep you from getting high blood pressure, but it is thought that the omega-3 fatty acids found in many fish can help.
Keep records of your blood pressure readings, if you notice an increase over time, be sure to let your doctor know.
Check your Blood Pressure Often
Symptoms of high blood pressure often do not manifest themselves until it has reached a critical level. Therefore, your only indication that you have high blood pressure may come when you have your blood pressure checked. In fact, one out of every three people with high blood pressure does not even realize that they have it.
High blood pressure increases your risk of having a stroke, heart failure, a heart attack, or suffering from kidney damage.
Children should also have their blood pressure tested regularly, as they too can develop hypertension.
Managing Your High Blood Pressure
Talk to your doctor. There are many medications available that can be useful in lowering blood pressure. If you are given medication for your high blood pressure – be sure to take it regularly. It does you no good if you forget to take it!
If you are overweight, simply losing weight may lower your blood pressure.
If you haven't already, begin to exercise – but be sure to check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program.
Limit your intake of salts and other sodium products. Read food labels carefully, many products that you might not expect to be are in truth very high in sodium, such as most sodas. Your sodium intake should not exceed 2,400 milligrams a day, or about one teaspoon.
Limit your intake of alcoholic beverages and other drugs.
Don't smoke!
Eat a healthy diet that is low in cholesterol, such as the DASH diet.
