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Overview
High blood pressure is a condition in which blood pushes against your arteries with too much force. It's a sign that your heart and blood vessels are working too hard. Sometimes high blood pressure is caused by factors you can't do anything about, but you can usually make lifestyle changes that will keep your blood pressure at acceptable levels.
Causes
High blood pressure can be caused by heredity, aging, race, and lifestyle. Black Americans have more cases of high blood pressure than any group of people in the world. Men have it more often than women before age 75, but after age 75 more women have it. People with sleep apnea usually have high blood pressure, and researchers have identified genes that cause high blood pressure. While you can't change your age, race, or genetic makeup, you can keep your blood pressure at safe levels by avoiding other causes, such as high salt intake, diet, excess weight, smoking, drinking and lack of exercise.
Facts
A blood pressure reading of 140/90 is considered high. If your blood pressure is 120/80 to 140/90, it's borderline and you need to make changes. Since there are usually no symptoms, the only way to tell if you have high blood pressure is to monitor it or to have your doctor check it. According to the American Heart Association, 40% of Americans over 18 with high blood pressure aren't treated and 65% don't have their blood pressure under control.
Considerations
If high blood pressure isn't treated, it will keep continue until your heart is damaged. Stroke, kidney damage, coronary artery disease, aneurysm, and loss of vision can also occur. Damage to arteries limits your body's ability to get blood and oxygen to your organs, and fat can build up in your arteries. Blood clots can form in arteries, preventing blood from reaching other parts of your body.
Prevention/Solution
Limiting salt intake to 2400 mg (less than a teaspoon) a day or less decreases blood pressure in 60% of people. Exercise improves blood flow. Eliminate smoking and limit alcohol to one drink a day for women and two for men. Change your diet to include more fruit, vegetables, whole grains, fish, poultry, nuts, and lowfat dairy food. Eat less fat, sugar, processed food, and red meat. Lose weight and lower your stress level with meditation, relaxation therapy, or biofeedback.
Expert Insight
The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan lowered blood pressure in people who ate less red meat, fat, sugar, salt, and processed food and ate more vegetables, fruit, fish, poultry, whole grains, non-fat dairy, and nuts. Magnesium supplements, food high in potassium, garlic, parsley, and hawthorn berry can lower blood pressure.
Effects
Many people successfully lower blood pressure with lifestyle changes, but others need medication in addition to changes. There can be side effects to medicine that lowers blood pressure, but not taking medication can be more dangerous.
