High blood pressure common dangerous

Pam Cole, NP

CHS Liberty Corner Health & Diagnostic Center

Q. What is hypertension?
A. Hypertension is another name for high blood pressure. Having high blood pressure or hypertension, means the pressure in your arteries is elevated. Blood pressure refers to the force of blood pushing against blood vessel walls and is written as two numbers such as, 112/78 mm Hg. The top number, or systolic number, is the pressure when the heart beats. The bottom, diastolic, number is the pressure when the heart rests between beats. Normal blood pressure is below 120/80. You can also experience what is called, prehypertension. This occurs in adults whose systolic pressure is 120 to 139, or your diastolic pressure is 80 to 89. Hypertension is a pressure of 140 systolic or higher and/or 90 diastolic or higher that stays high over time.

Q. What causes hypertension?
A. No one knows exactly what causes most cases of high blood pressure. The only sure way to know if your blood pressure is high is to get it checked regularly by your doctor. Hypertension usually doesn’t have any signs – that’s why it’s so dangerous. About 50 million Americans and 1 in 4 adults have it, and many don’t know they have it. Not treating high blood pressure is dangerous and can increase the risk of heart attack, kidney failure and stroke. Hypertension usually can be controlled and you can live a healthier life if you treat and control it.

Q. What do I do if I have hypertension?
A. There are several things you can do to help control and even prevent hypertension. If you’re overweight, lose weight. Being overweight puts a strain on the body and your blood vessels, but by losing weight and being more physically active you can control high blood pressure. You can also prevent and control hypertension by eating healthy meals low in saturated fat, cholesterol and salt. Alcohol is also a contributor to high blood pressure. Limit your intake to no more than one drink per day for women or two drinks a day for men. Remain proactive in your health. Know what your blood pressure should be and work to keep it at that level. If you have heart disease or have had a stroke, members of your family may also be at higher risk. It’s very important for everyone to make changes now to lower their risk. If you still have questions concerning your risk for hypertension, talk to your doctor, nurse or other healthcare professionals.

Pam Cole is a Nurse Practitioner at CHS Liberty Corner Health & Diagnostic Center in Muncie. For more information, call (765) 284-7277 or info@chsmail.org

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