High blood pressure or hypertension is a condition that has a silent way of deteriorating health. Hypertensive individuals may experience some common symptoms like anxiety, headache, nosebleeds, breathing difficulties, feelings of pulsations, or palpitations when their blood pressure spikes all of a sudden.
There can be several factors that lead to an increase in blood pressure. The symptoms are so common that the individual might even ignore them. Even if the condition does not cause sudden health damage, it leads to gradual damage to the arteries and heart. It can give rise to vascular disorders, and heart diseases, and also potentiate the risk of stroke.
What is high blood pressure?
High blood pressure is a disease wherein the pressure with which the blood flows through the arteries and blood vessels is very high. Such high pressure exerts too much force on the delicate walls of the blood vessels and contributes to their damage.
Your blood pressure may spike suddenly during an event of extreme emotion such as anger, surprise, shock, and action, which is quite normal. However, in some individuals, the blood pressure remains high consistently, which can be attributed to several factors. It can be lowered with prescription medications.
Medications are not enough, hypertensive individuals must adopt a positive lifestyle by introducing some changes to their routine, which will prevent the worsening of the condition to a great extent. This will reduce blood pressure and prevent any health risks linked to hypertension.
What are the risks associated with high blood pressure?
The persistent blood flow happening in the blood vessels affects the vascular system and heart slowly. The person may have had high blood pressure for years without their knowledge. They might find out that they are suffering from high blood pressure when the condition worsens, and they experience some sudden health problems like heart disease, atherosclerosis, and vascular disease. This is why, hypertension is termed a “silent killer”.
Heart attack and stroke are two events that can happen suddenly to an individual that has been unaware that they have been having consistently high blood pressure for a long time. It can be life-threatening. Stroke is a condition wherein the individual’s blood vessel present in the brain rupture, burst, or leak due to the lack of oxygen. It happens after the clogging of blood vessels happens, which blocks the blood flow to the brain.
Ways to prevent high blood pressure
Cut down on sodium
Salt is the biggest source of sodium. It raises the levels of fluids in the body. Salt causes water retention, which makes your body sustain a high amount of water. This raises the volume of blood, which ultimately makes your heart supply the blood throughout the body by pumping too hard. Salt puts a strain on the heart, which leads to its damage. Therefore, hypertensive individuals must lower their intake of salt.
Limit caffeine intake
Caffeine is a substance that contributes to vasoconstriction. It leads to the narrowing of the blood vessels which increases the blood pressure through the vascular passages. Restricting caffeine consumption is necessary to avoid blood pressure spikes.
Do moderate exercises
At least 30 minutes of daily exercising will increase your heart’s endurance and make it easier for it to supply blood throughout the body efficiently. It boosts your oxygen levels, and your vascular health improves as a result.
Avoid smoking
The hazardous substances found in the smoke aid the buildup of plaque in the blood vessels. It makes the arteries narrow and limits the flow of blood through them. The narrowing also increases blood pressure, which causes your heart to pump blood with a force that increases heart damage.
Factors that lead to hypertension
Weight
Overweight individuals are more likely to experience high blood pressure problems.
Age
As the individual gets older, their blood pressure may rise owing to the natural aging process.
Salt
Salt increases the blood volume which potentiates heart risk.
Inactivity
Exercise boosts the heart’s endurance, lack of it potentiates health risks.
Alcohol
Drinking too much can lead to constriction of blood vessels, which spikes blood pressure.
- Health conditions.
- Tobacco or drug abuse.
- Genetics.
- Chronic stress and anxiety disorders.
Individuals with a family history of hypertension are more susceptible. They have to put up preventative measures very early on. Doing so will reduce their risk of experiencing health complications from high blood pressure.
When to see your doctor?
You must see your doctor immediately if you experience the following symptoms:
- Chest pain
- Slurred speech
- Blurry vision
Moreover, These symptoms might occur during the severe stages of hypertension. Do not wait for the symptoms to become worse, it is necessary to seek medical attention.
The lowdown
In general, Hypertension is a silent disease that does not cause any indication at all. The person may have high blood pressure for a prolonged duration, and they might not have a hint of it because of its asymptomatic nature. But when the hypertension crisis happens the individual may experience some symptoms like chest pain, blurred vision, nosebleeds, breathing problems, severe headache, palpitations, or nosebleeds.
These symptoms are quite common but if they occur persistently then it is necessary to consult a doctor and get your health checked. This step will help prevent the risk due to a rise in blood pressure.