High blood pressure: what is it and how to control it
What is hypertension (high blood pressure)? Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of arteries – the vessels that bring oxygen-carrying blood to the heart. It rises and falls quite naturally all the time. Your blood pressure will be lower when you are relaxing and higher when you are doing something active or stressful. But if your blood pressure constantly remains elevated, you’re likely to have high blood pressure.High blood pressure can be detected by using a blood pressure test. This is a cuff is placed on your upper arm which is inflated, then gradually deflated. The test produces a top figure – your systolic blood pressure (the force of blood in the arteries as the heart beats), and a bottom figure – diastolic blood pressure (the force of blood in the arteries as the heart relaxes between beats). This is expressed, for example, as 120/80. A reading of 140/90 or above would lead to a diagnosis of hypertension. At least two determinations should be made over three separate days, as stress or activity can temporarily raise blood pressure without this being an indicator of hypertension.
What can High Blood Pressure do?
High blood pressure is a contributory factor in a number of health conditions including kidney problems, blindness, heart disease and strokes. When your blood pressure is elevated, your arteries can become hardened, weakened or narrowed causing the heart to have to work harder to pump blood around the body effectively. If the heart is deprived of blood because the arteries are too narrow to let in a good supply, this can result in angina or chest pains, which could lead to more serious heart disease. If the flow of blood is blocked completely, this could lead to a heart attack. If the blood vessels become so weak that they break or tear, this can lead to a bleed in the brain and cause a stroke. Similarly, if a blood clot blocks one of the arteries narrowed by hypertension, it can also trigger a stroke. So as you can see the effects of high blood pressure are very serious.High blood pressure itself is often asymptomatic, though things such as nosebleeds, a high resting pulse and migraines can indicate that high blood pressure may be a problem. Retinal changes – which may be detected during a routine eye test – can also show signs of high blood pressure. What’s the treatment? Conventional treatment for high blood pressure is medication together with diet and lifestyle changes. If you smoke, stop immediately, and reduce your stress levels by making time for relaxation, and consider meditation. A lack of exercise is a major factor for high blood pressure and also contributes to weight gain. Regular aerobic exercise reduces high blood pressure, aim for a 30 to 45 minute brisk walk, four or five times a week. Consult your GP first as you will need to take care when beginning an exercise programme.
