Who Has High Blood Pressure?

The Causes of High Blood Pressure

What exactly causes high blood pressure has not been known, but there are several factors and conditions that may play significant roles in the development of high blood pressure, they include but not limited to:

·         Family history of high blood pressure
·         Genetics
·         Older age
·         Smoking
·         Being overweight or obese
·         Lack of physical activity
·         Too much salt in the diet
·         Too much alcohol consumption (more than 1 to 2 drinks per day)
·         Bad Stress
·         Chronic kidney disease
·         Adrenal and thyroid disorders
·         Sleep apnea - common disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep.

The Symptoms of High Blood Pressure


How do you know if you have high blood pressure? Below symptoms may be experienced by patients of high blood pressure:

·         Severe headache.
·         Fatigue or confusion.
·         Vision problems.
·         Chest pain.
·         Difficulty breathing.
·         Irregular heartbeat.
·         Blood in the urine.
·         Pounding in your chest, neck, or ears.

Reading of Blood Pressure

Apart from the above symptoms, regularly checks will help you discover your status on time. Below are the blood pressure reading, the top number is systolic and bottom number diastolic. The numbers are interpreted as follow:

·         Normal: Less than 120 over 80 (120/80)
·         Prehypertension: 120-139 over 80-89
·         Stage 1 high blood pressure: 140-159 over 90-99
·         Stage 2 high blood pressure: 160 and above over 100 and above
·         High blood pressure in people over age 60: 150 and above over 90 and above

People whose blood pressure is above the normal range should consult their doctor about steps to take to lower it.

The Risk of High Blood Pressure

Despite the symptoms above one may never attribute them to high blood pressure thereby making high blood pressure difficult to notice. That is why high blood pressure (hypertension) is known as a “silent killer.” This is why it’s so important to have your blood pressure checked regularly. Having high blood pressure increases your risk of several health problems, such as:

·         heart attack
·         stroke
·         diabetes
·         heart failure
·         kidney disease
·         vision loss
·         metabolic syndrome

A stitch in time saves nine!

Remain Safe, Sound & Secured

Prince Aloy Anyanwu

The Helper of your Joy

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