BLOOD PRESSURE
The Disease
In order to understand blood pressure, we need to know how the heart pumps blood throughout our body. When the heart contracts during the heartbeat, it pushes blood through the arteries, creating a pressure on them known as systolic blood pressure. Its normal range is below 120.
When the heart fills with blood and receives oxygen, the pressure in the arteries is known as diastolic blood pressure. Normal diastolic blood pressure number is below 80.When the systolic blood pressure rises to a range of 120-139, it is diagnosed as prehypertension or borderline high blood pressure. This raises the risk of developing heart diseases and hence need to be controlled.
A systolic blood pressure above 140 is known as high blood pressure or hypertension. This is a warning alarm.
The Cause
There are a number of causes for Hypertension/High Blood Pressure.
- Physical Inactivity: Mostly due to lack of exercise and sedentary lifestyle
- Salt-rich diet along with processed and fatty foods
- Excessive alcohol and tobacco consumption
- Older age, especially after 60
- Being overweight and obese
- Low dietary potassium intake
Symptoms
High Blood Pressure often shows few or no symptoms. That’s why, it is important to keep a tab on your blood pressure in regular intervals. There are rare symptoms like:
- Dull headaches
- Dizzy spells
- Frequent nosebleeds
Testing
The most common device used is known as sphygmomanometer which is available with most of the doctors. Apart from that, a quick check of family history and physical examinations helps in diagnosing hypertension.
In case of complications, the following tests can be useful:
- Urine Test
- Kidney Ultrasound Imaging
- Blood Tests
- Electrocardiogram (ECG)/ Echocardiograph
Remedies
Apart from the medicines, you can take care of your blood pressure through following ways:
- Lowering the salt intake
- Lowering the alcohol consumption
- Eating more vegetables, fruits and low-fat foods
- Reducing body weight and maintaining an optimum weight
- Regular physical activity and exercises
- Reducing stress
- Giving up smoking