Hypertension (High Blood Pressure):Silent Killer

What is High Blood Pressure?

The heart pumps blood through small tube -like structures called arteries to all parts of your body. As blood flows through your arteries, it pushes with a force against their walls. This force, which does not remain constant , is called blood pressure. Blood pressure rises and falls during each day. When blood pressure becomes higher than the accepted normal range and remains so, this is called high blood pressure or hypertension. Most of the time, high blood pressure or hypertension has no warning signs or symptoms.

High blood pressure can be measured or diagnosed using simple, non-invasive instruments. The measurement is given or expressed as two numbers. The top number is called systolic, the bottom number is called diastolic.

• Systolic- measures pressure when the heart beats
• Diastolic-measures pressure when heart rests between beats
• For example: 110/80 (Read as 110 over 80)
• Less than 120/80 is considered normal blood pressure
• 140/90 or more is considered too high.

What causes High Blood Pressure?

• There are two main type of hypertension, primary and secondary.
• Most people have primary hypertension. There is no known cause of primary hypertension.
• Research studies have shown an association between primary high blood pressure and socioeconomic status, stress,perceived racial discrimination, level of education and decreased physical activity in black Americans.
• Secondary hypertension is the result of some other disease or disorder.

Health Problems Caused By High Blood Pressure

• Damage to the Heart (Heart Failure, Heart Attack)
• Damage to the Brain (Stroke)
• Damage to Kidneys (Renal Disease )
• Damage to the Eyes (Retinopathy)

How can I Prevent or Control High Blood Pressure?

• Eat healthy diet
• 1. Fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, whole grain bread and cereal, poultry, fish
  2. Lower Your Blood Pressure With DASH (A sample dietary guide to help you)
• Exercise
• 1. Walk , Bicycle, Run
  2. Farm
  3. Find an activity you like and stick with it
• Stop Smoking
• Limit Alcohol

References

http://www.cdc.gov/Hypertension
DASH Diet, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
Hypertension Improvement Through Healthy Lifestyle Modification, Rigsby, Brenda, ABNF Journal, Spring 2011,Vol 22, Issue 2, p 41-43.
Education, Genetic Ancestry, and Blood Pressure in African Americans and Whites, Non, Amy L., Gravlee, Clarence C., Mulligan, Connie J., Am J Public Health, 2012, 102, p 1559-1565.