Today is 17th May, World Hypertension Day, a day initiated to increase the awareness of hypertension.
Hypertension is one of the most common lifestyle disease today, with every third person we meet, having suffered from it.
What is Hypertension?
Hypertension commonly known as High Blood Pressure is defined as the force exerted by the blood against the walls of blood vessels, and the magnitude of this force will depend on the cardiac output and the resistance of the blood vessels.
The normal range of Blood Pressure is from 120 over 80 (120/80) to 140 over 90 (140/90) mm Hg.
Classification of Blood Pressure for adult:
| Categories | Systolic (mm Hg) | Diastolic ( mm Hg) |
| 1. Normal | 120-139 | 80-84 |
| 2.High normal | 130-139 | 85-89 |
| 3. Grade 1 | 140-159 | 90-99 |
| 4.Grade 2 | 160-179 | 100-109 |
| 5.Grade 3 | >=180 | >110 |
| 6. Isolated systolic ypertension | >=140 | <90 |
| 7. Hypertensive urgency | >180 | >110 |
| 8.Hypertensive emergency | >180 | >110-120 |
Symptoms of Hypertension:
High blood pressure is not usually something that you can feel or notice, and it can go undiagnosed because there are usually no symptoms but there are few which may become obvious at later stage. They are:
- Headache
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness
- Chest Pain
- Visual Changes
- Blood in the urine
Causes of Hypertension:
The exact cause of Hypertension is unknown, but there are several factors and conditions that may play key role:
- Family history of high blood pressure
- Genetics
- Overweight or obesity
- Lack of physical activity
- Excessive salt intake
- Too much alcohol consumption
- Smoking
- Stress
- Chronic kidney disease
- Sleep apnea
- Thyroid disorder
- Pregnancy
- Birth control pills
Hypertension leads to:
- Heart attack
- Aneurysm
- Heart failure
- Weakened and narrowed blood vessels in kidneys
- Metabolic syndrome
- Trouble with memory or understanding
Ways to Prevent Hypertension:
- Eating healthy diet with less salt
- Maintaining a healthy weight or lose weight if there is obesity
- Exercise regularly
- Quitting smoking
- Limiting amount of alcohol you drink
- Consume vegetables and fruits rich diet
Remedies:
- Practice relaxation or slow deep breathing
- Manage stress
- Adopt healthy habits
- Take medications properly
On this World Hypertension Day let modify lifestyle to live disease free life!