Hypertension, which is also called High Blood Pressure (HBP), is often called the silent killer and everyone, although some more than others are at risk of getting this disease, if they are not taking care of their body.
When someone says that a doctor has diagnosed him/her as having Hypertension this means that the pressure by which the blood flows through his/her arteries is higher than normal. The normal level is 120/80 and below. These numbers are the high and low measurements of the pressure that is used to pump this vital liquid to the arteries. The higher number is called Systolic and the lower is Diastolic.
The heart does the job of pumping the blood to the rest of the body and if the pressure or force if you will, that move around this vital liquid, is higher than what is usual, will put a strain on the heart. That is, it will have to work harder and this can trigger a heart attack, kidney failure and even a stroke, just to mention a few.
Although there is no known cause as to why a person may develop this disease, there are certain things such as constant stress, an unhealthy diet, alcohol and smoking that contribute towards it.
Everyone who suffers from High Blood Pressure will not experience signs and symptoms that will indicate that they have this illness. However, sometimes, there may be some, such as headaches, nausea, and dizziness. Nevertheless, other things can trigger these signs and symptoms as well.
There are risked factors that are associated with this illness and some of them are, age, family history and poor dieting.
Although it is not the norm, children, who are suffering from obesity, can become a victim of this disease.
Additionally, pregnant women are also at risk of developing it. Therefore, if for any reason you are concerned about your blood pressure, go and have it check.
When you are with the nurse or doctor, the test will take less than five minutes. It is simply a matter of having the cuff of the handheld machine that is attached to a stethoscope, placed around one of your upper arm and inflating it.
Additionally, if you have been diagnosed with it, you can also purchase one of these machines for your home use, but before you do, talk with your doctor and get some suggestions from him/her about which one to buy before buying one.
However, although you may purchase one, this should not prevent you from visiting the doctor for a yearly check-up.
