Since blood pressure is commonly occurring, it tends to be taken casually and neglected. But hypertension is one of the most common causes of heart disease — the number 1 killer worldwide.
What is Hypertension?
Blood pressure is the force that your blood exerts on the walls of your arteries as it flows through them. When this pressure stays consistently high, it is called hypertension.
Normal blood pressure is below 120/80 mmHg. Hypertension is generally diagnosed when readings consistently remain above 140/90 mmHg.
Why is it Called the Silent Killer?
Most people with high blood pressure have no symptoms at all — no pain, no discomfort, nothing that would alert them. Meanwhile, the elevated pressure is silently damaging the heart, brain, kidneys, and blood vessels.
Risk Factors
- Family history of hypertension
- Excess salt in diet
- Obesity and lack of physical activity
- Smoking and alcohol
- Chronic stress
- Age (risk increases with age)
- Diabetes
Complications of Uncontrolled Hypertension
- Heart attack and heart failure
- Stroke
- Kidney damage
- Vision loss
- Peripheral artery disease
Treatment and Management
Lifestyle modifications are the first line of treatment — reducing salt intake, regular exercise, weight management, stress reduction, and quitting smoking. When lifestyle changes aren't enough, medications are prescribed to keep blood pressure under control.
Regular monitoring is essential. If you have been diagnosed with hypertension, take your medications regularly, do not skip doses, and follow up with your cardiologist as advised.
