Hypertension is a condition in which your blood pressure remains elevated than normal. Blood pressure is the force that your blood exerts on your blood vessels. Hypertension rarely shows any symptoms. Sometimes it may cause palpitations and increased heart rate. If you are diagnosed with hypertension, you must monitor it.
Uncontrolled high blood pressure for a long time can lead to various life-threatening complications. Therefore you should attend follow-up visits with your healthcare provider and monitor its reading. If it is too high, you must rush to the emergency. To know more about hypertension, you can visit oladoc.com.
What are the Risk Factors for Hypertension?
There can be various factors for hypertension, such as;
Age
As your age increases, the risk of hypertension also increases. In men, high blood pressure is common till 64 years of age. Women are at more risk of developing hypertension after the age of 65.
Family history
Having a family history of heart disease or hypertension raises the chances for you too. If your mother, father, or siblings have it, you may also get it. As you reach 50 years, you must get your blood pressure checked even if you are not hypertensive.
Overweight or obese
When you are overweight, your heart has to work more to supply blood to your organs. Due to this, the blood volume in your artery increases, therefore the force that it exerts on the wall also increases.
If you are overweight or obese, you must shed those extra pounds. To lose weight, you must eat healthily and make a routine of daily physical activity. To remain healthy, you should maintain a healthy weight according to your body mass index.
Sedentary lifestyle
Living an inactive lifestyle can cause your heart rate to rise. When your heart rate goes up, your heart has to work hard with each contraction, and therefore the force on your arteries is increased. Moreover, a sedentary lifestyle also puts you at risk of getting overweight and obese, which in turn increases the risk of hypertension.
Consuming Tobacco
Tobacco in any form, either through smoking or through chewing gum, raises your blood pressure. It happens because the nicotine in the cigarette causes your arteries to harden and damage their lining.
Tobacco can cause your arteries to narrow, which can raise blood pressure and put you at risk of heart diseases. Getting exposed to cigarette smoke can also increase the chances for you.
Consuming too Much Salt
Consuming too much salt in your diet can cause your blood pressure to rise. It happens because sodium tends to retain water, hence causing an increase in blood pressure. You must abstain from consuming too much too salt even if you are not hypertensive.
Too Little Potassium intake
Consuming too little potassium in your diet can cause your blood pressure to rise. In the body, when potassium levels are low, the sodium level gets high and vice versa. Since sodium retains water, it causes your blood pressure to rise. You may lose potassium due to dehydration and other health conditions. You can get potassium from bananas and dates. Therefore you should keep them in your diet if you are hypertensive.
However, always consult with your healthcare provider before incorporating potassium sources into your diet. It is because some blood pressure medications can interact with potassium. Therefore you need to exercise caution.
Chronic conditions
Certain diseases like diabetes, kidney diseases, and sleep apnea can raise the chances of hypertension. Chronic stress can also cause your blood pressure to rise. If you are hypertensive, you must visit the best cardiologist in Islamabad.
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