You have probably heard a lot about high blood pressure lately. With the rise of obesity in our society hypertension has become more prevalent.
You may think that because you are a healthy weight that there is no way you have hypertension. Do you really understand what hypertension is and what it can do to a body?
First, it is important to understand what blood pressure is and how it is measured. It is presented as two numbers, one on top and one on bottom.
The top number is often called systolic. This number is always going to be higher than the bottom number.
The top number is a measure of the pressure that the arteries experience every time the heart beats. This means that every time the muscle contracts and pushes blood out into the veins the arteries experience pressure.
The bottom number will always be a lower number than the top number. The bottom number is called the diastolic number.
This number also measures the pressure in the arteries but it measures this pressure between heartbeats. This means that as the heart beats and refills with blood the arteries will feel pressure.
If you are an adult over age 20 you should have a blood pressure of 120/80 or less. This is an important number to remember when you go into the doctor.
If your doctor measures your pressure and finds that it is over the recommended number your doctor will probably take the measurement a few times. The reason that your doctor will do this is to make sure that they make a correct diagnosis.
If you have high blood pressure your doctor will more than likely recommend a treatment plan. You should follow this treatment plan strictly.
There are some people that think that they can follow a treatment plan loosely. This is not a good frame of mind to be in.
Usually there are no symptoms associated with hypertension; if your pressure gets high enough you may begin to feel specific symptoms. If you have been feeling chest pain, confusion, ear noise or buzzing, irregular heartbeat, nosebleed, tiredness or even vision changes you may have hypertension.
If you have already been diagnosed with high blood pressure and you start to experience a severe headache you may be having a serious side effect of hypertension. This side effect is called malignant hypertension.
Blood pressure can have many different causes. Much of the pressure level comes from the size of the heart, the size of the arteries and the condition of the arteries and the heart.
If you feel that you could never have high blood pressure you may be sadly mistaken. There are people that come from many different backgrounds.
Your heart can predispose you to have hypertension. You should ask your doctor to check your high blood pressure so that you do not suffer from high pressure in silence.
There are also different causes of hypertension. If you do not have enough water in your body and you have too much salt in your body you can also be at risk.
To avoid this you should watch your sodium intake and make sure that you are drinking plenty of water. The average adult should consume 6-8 cups or 8 oz cups of water every day.
If your kidneys, your nervous system or your blood vessels are not in good shape you will also have a higher risk of high blood pressure. If you have a family history of problems with these internal organs you should make sure that you should also consistently check your blood pressure.
Having high pressure can be scary. It is important that you take the time to understand what high blood pressure is and how you can best lower your pressure.
There are many different tests that can determine your pressure. Your doctor should complete a physical exam before your pressure is checked.
There are many different pros that come from a physical exam. If your doctor can have a fuller understanding of your physical state you will have a better diagnosis.
It is important to realize that there are many different options you have to lower your pressure if you have hypertension. Although it can be discouraging and it can be scary there is always hope to get better and to be healthy again.
Author Resource:-
Jack R. Landry has worked as a nurse practitioner for the last 16 years. He has worked in local clinics and the ER and recommends looking into heart disease remedies to avoid a fatal heart attack.
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