According to the Million Hearts Initiative, more than 77% of Americans living with hypertension don’t have their blood pressure under control. In the United States alone, nearly half of the adult population has hypertension. It can often cause serious damage before the person starts to experience symptoms. This has led to the disease being dubbed the “silent killer”. Dr. Leana Wen recently spoke out about the dangers of this disease.
What Is Hypertension?
Also known as high blood pressure, hypertension is an often overlooked condition, yet can have serious consequences. Hypertension is among the most common chronic conditions around the world. It can affect people of any age group, but the risk grows as you get older. Hypertension is caused by a combination of different lifestyle factors, such as an unhealthy diet, a sedative lifestyle, obesity, chronic stress, underlying health conditions, and genetics. Even though it is such a prevalent health issue, many people simply brush off the potential dangers until symptoms start to arise. This puts them at greater risk of developing serious health complications later on.
What Are the Dangers Associated with Hypertension?
The biggest reason that this disease is known as the “silent killer” is because of its ability to cause great damage to your organs before you realize what is happening. This increases their risk of stroke and heart disease – two leading causes of death worldwide. High blood pressure puts a constant strain brain, kidneys, heart, and arteries. While not noticed at first, it can eventually lead to chronic conditions such as cognitive decline, stroke, heart failure, kidney disease, and a greater risk of developing dementia. According to the World Health Organization, this disease results in 7.5 million deaths globally every year.
Read More: This Popular Dried Fruit Can Help Lower Blood Pressure
Hypertension Diagnosis
Hypertension can be easily diagnosed by measuring blood pressure with a cuff. A single high result does not always indicate hypertension, though. Doctors will typically take several readings periodically to confirm the diagnosis. Blood pressure measurement requires proper technique. If you want to catch hypertension early on, it’s important to see your physician on a regular basis. If you don’t have access to a doctor, you can still visit a community health center or pharmacy clinic for regular screenings.
The Treatment of Hypertension
Hypertension is a well-studied disease with multiple viable treatment options often consisting of a combination of medication and lifestyle changes. Medications usually help by targeting different mechanisms. For example, beta-blockers help reduce the workload on the heart. Diuretics assist in helping your body eliminate excess water and sodium. Calcium channel blockers prevent your vessels from tightening, and ACE inhibitors widen your blood vessels. Some people require a combination of these medications to achieve the desired blood pressure control.
Lifestyle Modifications
Medication alone won’t just help though, and certain lifestyle changes will also need to be put in place to control the disease. These changes include reducing the amount of sodium you consume, eating meals full of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, and limiting the amount of alcohol you consume. Taking these steps not only helps you gain control of your hypertension but also improves your cardiovascular health overall.
How to Prevent Hypertension
As with most diseases, prevention is better than cure or treatment. The best way to prevent hypertension from occurring in the first place is to live a healthy lifestyle. Stay away from processed foods as much as possible, find ways of effectively managing your stress, and monitor your blood pressure on a regular basis. Even people who end up developing hypertension despite a healthy lifestyle should continue to practice these habits. This will help minimize the long-term impacts of this disease.
The Bottom Line
Hypertension, the silent killer, can prove deadly if left unmanaged. With almost half of the American adult population affected by this condition, it is not to be taken lightly. Luckily there are several ways that you can gain control of your blood pressure, such as using certain prescribed medications and making the necessary lifestyle adjustments. The worst thing you can do is wait for the symptoms to appear before you start doing anything. By adopting a healthier lifestyle today, you can help prevent many diseases from developing in the first place.
Read More: What’s Considered High Blood Pressure Changes With Age – Here’s What’s Normal For Each Age Group