High blood pressure: Risks and Management

Hypertension is an abnormally high pressure of the blood on vessel walls. It is also referred to as high blood pressure. Blood pressure readings conventionally has a top (systolic) value and low (diastolic) value which are derived from the three main stages of the cardiac cycle:


-Diastole,
-Atrial systole and
-ventricular systole.

Blood pressure readings can be classified as:

-Normal at less than 120 over 80 (120/80)
-Prehypertension at 120-139 over 80-89
-Stage 1 high blood pressure at 140-159 over 90-99
-Stage 2 high blood pressure at 160 and above over 100 and above
-High blood pressure in people over age 60 at 150 and above over 90 and above.

NB these readings were assummed to be taken from a mecury sphygmomanometer.

Hypertension is dengerous because by making the heart to pump blood faster, there is multiplied risk for other complications such as atherosclerosis, stroke, kidney disease, and the development of heart failure to arise; all of which can lead to sudden and unexpected death worsened by the fact that it shows no signs or symptoms hence it kills silently.

In 2013, The Nigerian Medical association and The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria jointly revealed that nearly 60 million Nigerians were living with hypertension and males suffered it more than their female counterparts their lifestyle being the suspected cause of the descrepancy. This number places the percentage of Nigerians with hypertension to about 23%. The above is also true for almost all the countries in the world.

By making few life style changes and modifications however, the blood pressure could be lowered and maintained. Some lifestyle changes that could reduce the inherent risk and complications of hypertension are:

1-Being dicsiplined and dedicating some time to having a lower blood pressure and sustaining a healthy lifestyle.

2-Trying to lose weight- Increase in weight is directly proportional to increase in blood pressure. Overweight people usually have their breathing disrupted while sleeping (sleep apnea) leading to increased blood presdure.

3-Exercising regularly- Exercising for 30min-1hr per day at least 4 times weekly can reduce blood pressure by about 4-9mmHg (milimetres of mecury). Calories clogging the arteries and making them narrow are burnt freeing up space for blood to flow at much lower speeds. There is also an increased chance of loosing body weigth when exercise is done regularly.

4-Eating  healthy diets- By eating low fatty foods, reducing cholesterol intake drastically, adding lots of whole grains as well as  substantial ammounts  of vegetables and fruits to your menue will go a long way in ensuring that that blood pressure reduces or remain stable.

5-Reducing Salt intake as drastically as possible-Table Salt (NaCl, sodium cloride) is the main source of salt while cooking. However, many processed foods usually sold packaged contain this ingredient. Apart from reducing salt intake, packaged food cunsumption must also be reduced.

6-Reducing alcohol cunsumption- In little ammounts, alcohol could actually lower blood pressure but when taken in large ammounts, the reverse becomes the case. Apart from increasing blood pressure, excess alcohol could also inhibit drugs used for anti hypertensive theraphy. exessive alcohol intake can also cause hyperglyceamia and eventually, diabetes.

7-Quiting smoking- Quiting smoking helps your blood pressure return back to  normal (or almost normal) .

8-Stop being too stressed up- Stress can lead to a rapid spike in blood pressure. Ways of managing unpleasant information should be modelled out and expectations should be flexible. These goes a long way in reducing suprises, bad ones especially, that may cause reactions that can elevate blood pressure.

9-Regular monitoring of  your blood pressure usualy with a sphygmomanometer- Mecury ones give more accurate readings than the digital ones.

10-Seeing a Medical doctor for advice and medication is absolutely necessary!

Hope you find this information usefull.