High Blood
Pressure
by Lynne Campbell
High Blood Pressure Is Called The
Silent Killer Because It Often Has No Symptoms
High blood pressure, which is also called HBP and
Hypertension is a serious condition that can lead to coronary
heart disease, heart failure, stroke, kidney failure, and many
other health problems.
High blood pressure or hypertension is called the silent
killer because it often has no symptoms and can cause serious
diseases if it goes untreated for a long time. About 1 in 3
adults in the United States has high blood pressure. You can
have it for years without knowing it. But, during this time it
can damage the heart and the rest of your body. This is why
knowing your blood pressure numbers is important, even when
you’re feeling fine. If your blood pressure is normal, you can
work with your health care team to keep it that way. If your
blood pressure is too high, you need treatment to prevent
damage to your body’s organs.
Blood pressure is like the pressure inside a tire. It's simply
the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your
arteries. If that pressure gets to high, it will damage body
organs, and you can actually have a blowout or an aneurysm. An
aneurysm is a blood-filled dilation (balloon-like bulge) of a
blood vessel or artery. The bulge in a blood vessel can burst
and lead to death at any time, and the larger an aneurysm
becomes, the more likely it is to burst.
Each time your heart beats, it pumps out blood into the
arteries. Your blood pressure is highest when your heart beats,
pumping the blood. This is called systolic pressure. When your
heart is at rest, between beats, your blood pressure falls.
This is the diastolic pressure.
Your blood pressure reading uses these two numbers, the
systolic and diastolic pressures. Usually they are written one
above or before the other. A reading of 120/80 or lower is
normal blood pressure, 140/90 or higher is high blood
pressure.
People who have high blood pressure can take steps to
control it and reduce their risks for related health problems.
Key steps include following a healthy lifestyle, having ongoing
medical care, and following the treatment plan that your doctor
prescribes. Yes, you can control high blood pressure through
healthy lifestyle habits and taking medicines if needed. But,
the real key is to always know and watch your blood
pressure numbers and if they begin to climb - get to you
doctor.
Lynne Campbell is a channel guide and author for the website
http://Things-About.com,
which provides expert guidance for real people searching the
Internet for information, goods, and services.
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High Blood Pressure
