Why you should not ignore or delay in timely diagnosis of hypertension

Hypertension is commonly refer to high blood pressure.

About 1 in 3 adults in India has the problem of hypertension or high blood pressure (According to research published in the Indian Heart Journal 2019).

We need to understand the role of the heart, to understand the importance of high blood pressure,

In a human body blood leaving the heart and moving in the arteries reaches every part of the body.

The pressure of blood on the arteries is called 'blood pressure'.

Now we need to understand this pressure should remain in a limited rate (well defined range) according to every age, but in some cases it increases, which refers as high blood pressure or hypertension.

Your blood pressure will be measured by your doctor with a machine called a sphygmomanometer. Blood pressure reading has two parts.

One is upper part which is called systolic blood pressure and other is lower part called diastolic.

A healthy person blood pressure level should not exceed 140/90 mm Hg in normal cases.

Anything greater than 140/90 mm Hg considers as High blood pressure.

Some people can experience following symptoms which indicate high blood pressure : 

Severe nose bleeds

Headache

cloudy appearance

Trouble in breathing while walking or running, Chest pain

It is not necessary that all these symptoms appear in every patient, Some patients might not feel any of these symptoms as well. It is recommended that everyone must have their blood pressure checked by a physician at least once in a year.

In case you notice any of these symptoms of hypertension, always better to go to doctor and check you blood pressure level.

This is really important because if you do not treat for long term it could be dangerous.

It is important to know that long-term untreated hypertension can lead to following:

stroke / paralysis

effect on vision

heart disease

kidney effect

sexual dysfunction in young male

Ability to understand

Effects on memory

One need not to be afraid of High blood pressure, what is really important to treat it in time. All these problems can be resolved and the patient can lead a normal if he or she start the treatment in time.

Some reasons one could have Hypertension :

Age can be a factor – The chances of high blood pressure increase with your age. Hypertension is seen more in men before the age of 64, while it is more common in women after 65 years.

Lifestyle factors – Lifestyle changes, eating habits (taking processed frequently) and saturated foods.

Family history – If you family members have hypertension, then you are also more likely to have it.

Obesity – Obesity or excess weight, improper BMI can also be the reason for high blood pressure.

Lack of exercise – Sitting for long periods of time without exercising can also increase the risk of high blood pressure, especially in young adults.

Kidney disease – The kidney helps to control blood pressure. Kidney disease can increase the pressure by making it weak.

Stress – This can increase your blood pressure for some time. There is also a risk of hypertension due to the consumption of food and drink or tobacco associated with stress.

Tobacco – Tobacco can not only temporarily raise your blood pressure, but it can also weaken your arteries.

Alcohol consumption very frequently – This can be harmful for your heart and body.

If the amount of salt in your food is high, then your blood pressure becomes more likely to increase. Processed food such as namkeen, biscuits, have high salt content. It can collect fluid in your body. Similarly, a lack of potassium in the body, which balances the amount of sodium, can also increase your blood pressure.

Misuse of certain medications such as steroids/gym supplements can also increase blood pressure.

We can now understand why a person suffering from high blood pressure is advised to take less salt.

Only 5 mg of salt should be consumed daily  (according to WHO).

Your doctor may advise you to take care of 3 things for high blood pressure:

Do not take excess salt in food

Exercise regularly

control your weight

Stop drinking and smoking

Hypertension medicine

Doctor will prescribe medicines considering your blood pressure level, your age and other health factors.

It is very important to take hypertension medicines as a daily basis, because skipping the medicine can lead to many serious conditions such as heart attack or paralysis.

Consult with your physician and take medicine as suggested by doctor, reduce weight, remove smoking, and exercise regularly. Most importantly keep salt in limited quantity in the diet. Also fried food (ghee or butter cooked) and processed food should be avoided or taken very less. Must include fresh fruits, green vegetables and seasonal vegetables, salads in the daily diet.

It is great to take the right food, also it is important for you to exercise daily. Exercise will not only help control your blood pressure but will also affect your stress and weight. Try to sleep on time.