Everyone has blood pressure. The normal blood pressure is 120/80. These numbers refer to the Systolic and Diastolic blood pressure. 120/Systolic is when your heart beats. 80/Diastolic is when it rests. According to a Lancet study, 30% of Indians have hypertension.
High blood pressure is called the SILENT KILLER as it goes unnoticed for years. You do not notice any symptoms and then one day you are diagnosed with high blood pressure (also called
hypertension). In some cases, headaches, shortness of breath or nosebleed may be a sign of high blood pressure.
Ideally, you should (those over 30) check your blood pressure a couple of times a year, ideally, every month. Record them. Note them down.
I am not a doctor, but I would also recommend taking your pulse reading every month and note it down. (Now with pulse oximeter, this is simple.) Keeping your pulse rate normal is a good idea. Keeping it as low as possible is even better. Normal pulse for healthy adults ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute. Pulse rate increases with exercise, illness, injury, and emotions. Females have faster heart rates than do males.
If you do not keep your blood pressure under control, it could lead to: heart attack, stroke, heart failure, memory issues and dementia.
Your blood pressure will change with age. Dr Kartik Gupta, from All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, says: “High blood pressure hits Indians at a younger age than western populations, and first heart attacks and strokes occur a decade earlier on average. If your parents had High BP, chances are that you too will have high BP. Being overweight/obese will make our heart work harder. Too much salt is a known risk factor, so is too less potassium. Stress is a major risk factor.
Blood pressure is of two types:
Primary or essential hypertension -- 95% of us -- common, what most of us have
There is no known reason for this hypertension. As we age, this happens to all of us. We can keep it in control, with lifestyle changes like diet, exercise, and less salt. If we don't
and it goes beyond a certain point, doctors will prescribe you medicines to keep it under control. You will have to take it for life.
Workups (blood tests) and other tests) are not really required to detect primary hypertension.
Secondary hypertension -- uncommon, few of us have
Sometimes there is an underlying condition or disease which causes hypertension. Many conditions/diseases can lead to secondary hypertension.
Workups (blood tests) and other tests will be required.
Best is always to consult your GP or a Cardiologist if your suspect high blood pressure.
Remember to check blood pressure as per guidelines. If you take your blood pressure after a walk/run, it will be higher because your heart has been really working hard.
Causes of Blood Pressure
How do we get high blood pressure? Salt is one of the biggest culprits. Most of eat too much processed foods and thus too much salt. Our blood pressure also goes up as we age.
Causes we cannot do anything about:
- Aging
- Genetics
- Family history of blood pressure
Causes we can and should do something about:
- Being overweight or obese
- Lack of physical activity (sedentary lifestyle)
- Too much salt in the diet
- Stress
- Low consumption of fruits and vegetables
- High consumption of dietary fat
Two causes which I hope you do not indulge in are:
- Chewing tobacco
- Smoking
- Excess alcohol (more than 1-2 drinks per day)
Secondary hypertension can be caused by:
- Chronic kidney disease
- Adrenal and thyroid disorders
- Sleep apnea
Medicines
Remember to take medicines ONLY ON DOCTORS PRESCRIPTION. Providing information here to understand the medicines.
Here are the various classes of blood pressure medications as per heart.org:
- Diuretics
- Beta-blockers
- ACE inhibitors (ACEI)
- Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB)
- Calcium channel blockers
- Alpha blockers
- Alpha-2 Receptor Agonists
- Combined alpha and beta-blockers
- Central agonists
- Peripheral adrenergic inhibitors
- Vasodilators