Hypertension: Are You at Risk?

       Forget about all the biological cum medical jargons you have heard concerning the heart. the heart is simply a pump. The duty of the heart is to make sure blood is pumped (pushed) to all and every part of your body where it is needed.

Now every pump has a pressure (roughly speaking,how far the pump can push a liquid), and the heart being a pump has pressures which we call:

• Systolic Pressure: this is the pressure with which the blood 'pushes' blood into the body. For a healthy person this should be 120mmHg.

• Diastolic Pressure: This is the pressure with which blood rushes into the heart. For a normal human being this should be 80mmHg 

So, next time you are around medical professionals and you hear: 120/80 it could either mean the score of a basketball match or they are referring to the pressures (systolic/diastolic) of a normal human heart. I would bet it is the latter.

     We say someone is hypertensive (or has High blood Pressure) if the systolic pressure is higher than 120mmHg (usually 190mmHg and above) and the diastolic pressure is higher than 80mmHg.

                                  Why Should my Blood Pressure Increase?

Hypertension is common among the aged.

Well aside economic recession, several factors can cause hypertension, the major culprits are:

Age: 

It is no coincidence that hypertension cases are most common amongst the aged (usually 60 years and above). As we grow older our arteries (the pipes that carry blood away from our heart) become stiffer, and so our heart has to push harder. more push = more pressure.

Obesity:

Generally the heart of fat people has to do more work to meet up. This increases the pressure at which the heart operates. so if you are on the 'heavy' side, loose weight, fast!

Bad Lifestyle:

Over indulgence in alcohol and tobacco, and lack of proper and moderate exercise, and little or no sleep have all been medically proven to cause hypertension.


Bad Nutrition

A constant diet that is high in salt, can lead to hypertension. Also, drinking too much coffee can lead to hypertension.

 How Do I Know If I Have Hypertension?

Hypertension is a very dangerous predicament because it has no well defined symptoms. in fact most medical professionals refer to it as Symptom-less. This is why hypertension is one of the leading causes of sudden death worldwide.

A simple electronic sphygmanometer for measuring bllod pressure

      So always make sure you go for regular blood pressure check, or better still get the equipment like the simple one shown above and learn how to do it yourself.

   How Do i Minimize My Risk of  Hypertension

To minimize your risk of hypertension, medical professionals advice that you should:

• Take regular exercise serious: care should be taken not to overdo  it, as this can temporarily increase blood pressure .

• Go for regular blood pressure checkup: Hypertension is a silent killer, in most cases it gives no symptoms at all.

• Cut down on salt: Medically. salt is a well known hypertension trigger. Aged people (60 years and above) should cut down salt intake in there diets, to reduce there risk of becoming hypertensive.

• Proper Diet: Some foods have been proven to fight hypertension, these includes:

1. Snails
2. White Beans
3. Bananas
4. Sweet Potatoes
5. Avocado Pea  e.t.c.

So, it is never too early to start the fight against one of the most silent killer ever known.



Did you enjoy this article? please let me know in the comment box below,and don't forget to share.

Have a powerful week!