What is blood pressure:
We can define blood pressure as the force with which our heart pumps blood to the whole body. Blood pressure has two values of measurements: systolic and diastolic. Systolic blood pressure refers to when our blood pushes the blood to the body and diastolic blood pressure involves the resting time between the beats. For example, if somebody has a blood pressure of 120/80 mmHg, it means that he has a systolic pressure of 120mmHg and a diastolic pressure of 80mmHg.
Commonly, a blood pressure of 120/80mmHg is considered normal. High blood pressure is when a patient’s blood pressure exceeds 120/80mmHg and low blood pressure is characterized by low pressure than 120/80mmHg.
Blood pressure patients:
Blood pressure patients are those who are afflicted with either high or low blood pressure. Such patients need intensive care and their lifestyle should also be monitored and guarded. Mild negligence towards the blood pressure can lead to drastic effects.
High blood pressure patients:
High blood pressure is also regarded as hypertension.
• Symptoms:
Usually, patients with short-term hypertension show almost no symptoms. But if a person is experiencing a long term issue of high blood pressure, he may exhibit symptoms like
• Headache
• Feelings of pulsations in the head
• Nosebleed (if severe hypertension)
• A high level of anxiety
• Face flushing
• Unable to sleep due to agitation
• Extreme sweating
• Causes:
The exact causes of hypertension are unknown. Hypertension can be classified into two different types, each type having different causes.
The first type of hypertension is primary hypertension and it takes a long period of years to develop. It is the consequence of an unhealthy lifestyle, environment, and age. For example, if a person has a sedentary lifestyle and does not indulge in physical activity like walk or exercise, he is likely to develop hypertension.
Also, poor diet and junk food add the possibility of getting high blood pressure. People with age above 50 years are liable to afflict with high BP.
Family history can also serve as one of the major causes of primary hypertension. Other factors also contribute to increasing blood pressure such as excessive intake of salts, alcohol consumption, stress, and obesity.
The second type arises due to certain health problems or medications. Factors causing secondary hypertension may include diabetes, kidney problems, birth control pills and thyroid problems.
• Lifestyle/ Preventive Measures:
The question is what sort of lifestyle should a high BP patient adopt? Regulating hypertension demands a serious attitude towards your health. A patient must need to enumerate particular measures by doing certain changes in his lifestyle. Following are the steps which a patient should take if he is encountering the issue of high BP.
1. A healthy intake of meals:
A patient with high blood pressure is directed to have a meal that is less in fats and lipids because it enhances the cholesterol level in the blood and blocks the blood arteries. A diet of a BP patient must include ingredients that are rich in fibres, proteins and vitamins. Further, the patient should supplement fruits and vegetables in his daily routine as they are enriched in water and vitamins which help lower the blood pressure.
The patient must necessarily avoid fried foods as they are frequent in fats. Junk foods and cold drinks are also damaging to patient’s health due to the reason they are rich in sodium salt which is the main contributor to increasing blood pressure.
1. Avoiding a sedentary lifestyle:
Performing healthy physical activity can prove to be fruitful in lowering blood pressure. The patient with high BP must indulge in certain physical activities like walking, jogging, and light exercises. It will help him to maintain BP by lowering his salt level. Otherwise, being docile can add to your problems.
Take advice from your doctor if you are going to start a strenuous exercise routine
1. Averting stress:
Stress can be lethal to a blood pressure patient. When we get stressed, our body starts secreting stress hormones which increase our blood pressure. So it is the need to handle your stress by performing certain activities which keep you away from overthinking.
• Complications:
If prolonged, high blood pressure can cause severe complications including heart diseases such as heart attack, heart failure, and stroke.
It can assist thriving other health issues like
• Pulmonary oedema
• Adult blindness
• Kidney failure
• Depression
• Memory loss
• Deafness
• Paralysis
• Erectile dysfunction
• Tuberculosis