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Signs Of Hypertension
Hypertension or high blood pressure is the term used by your doctor to define the force it takes to pump the blood through the arteries. Your health care professional will measure your blood pressure and give it a numerical value like 120/80, which is considered normal.
High blood pressure is considered a high risk factor for heart disease and can cause other damage to the body like , heart attacks, heart failure, stroke, kidney failure, peripheral artery disease and aortic aneurysms to name just a few.
Increased public awareness about high blood pressure has made this the second most common reason that individuals seek medical attention in the United States. This does not mean that the number of individuals who suffer from hypertension has risen but rather that with increasing media attention and education more people are recognizing that the complications of high blood pressure can be averted with proper treatment. Sometimes just diet change is all that is necessary.
In individuals blood pressure will fluctuate depending upon specific factors, not the least of which is stress. However, people whose blood pressure is consistently higher than the norm are diagnosed with high blood pressure or hypertension. This means that blood pressure for an adult is higher than 140/90. Uncontrolled high blood pressure is thought to be indirectly responsible for the deaths resulting from a heart attack, stroke and kidney failure and according to several research studies the risk of dying from a heart attack is directly linked to systolic hypertension. In other words, the higher your blood pressure the higher your risk.
High blood pressure will typically develop over many years and will affect nearly everyone eventually. Fortunately it can be easily detected with a quick test in the physician’s office which is why many urgent care centers, gynecologists, eye physicians and primary care physicians will all take blood pressure readings with each visit in order to screen as many people as possible. It can also be done at home with blood pressure devices available at the drug store or on line. Once you’ve been diagnosed with high blood pressure you can work with your physician to control it and reduce your risks of any complications.
Unfortunately, hypertension is often been called the silent killer because most people who have high blood pressure have no signs or symptoms, even when the blood pressure readings are dangerously high. Some people with early-stage high blood pressure can experience a dull headache, a dizzy spell or a few nosebleeds but these symptoms are not typical and don’t usually occur until the high blood pressure has reached life-threatening stages.
Make sure that you have your blood pressure taken at least every two years starting at the age of 20. You will want to be more concerned if you have a family member with heart disease, kidney disease or a past history of high blood pressure. Any opportunity that presents itself, such as a visit to the eye doctor or the urgent care center, should be used to get your blood pressure readings taken. However, it is not necessary to run to your physician and have your blood pressure readings taken every month.
The best way to keep track of your blood pressure is buy a home device. Advanced technology has made them inexpensive and very accurate. Keeping track of your blood pressure is a good way to help prevent heart disease, stroke and kidney failure.
