Decreasing blood pressure

Sadly, many people suffer from high blood pressure, also called hypertension. In fact, the American Heart Association estimates that 74.5 million adults in the United States alone are suffering from high blood pressure. There usually are no symptoms of this potentially deadly disease, so it’s important to have your doctor check your blood pressure regularly, especially if your risk factor for it is high.

Many factors can increase your risk of developing high blood pressure. If you fall into any of the following groups, you should alert your doctor and monitor your blood pressure more carefully. You should also take steps, such as eating a healthier diet and getting regular exercise, to decrease your risks. Living with high blood pressure for an extended amount of time can increase your risk of developing heart attacks or heart disease and strokes, so it’s important to catch it as early as possible.

First of all, you may be at risk if you have a family history of high blood pressure. If you are uncertain of your family’s medical history, you should have your doctor check for any of the early warning signs of high blood pressure. Being within a certain age range also increases your risk; the older you are, the more likely it is that you will develop high blood pressure. Those who eat poorly, especially if their diets are high in salt and those who do not exercise or who do not exercise regularly are also at an increased risk. Other risk factors include being overweight or obese, consuming large quantities of alcohol on a regular basis, having high stress levels, and smoking or living with a smoker. Hypertension also commonly affects African Americans and children, so those falling into these groups should not ignore routine blood pressure checks.

If, after visiting a doctor, you discover you are already suffering from high blood pressure, you can still take steps to reduce and control your blood pressure. You should strive to eat a healthy diet that is low in sodium. If you are unsure of what foods you should be eating or what the proper amounts of these foods are, you can ask a doctor or nutritionist for advice. Additionally, you should strive to get at least thirty minutes of aerobic exercise three times a week. If you are overweight, you should speak with your doctor about healthy ways to lose weight. Smokers and drinkers should either stop or limit their unhealthy behaviors, and non-smokers should try to avoid cigarette smoke whenever possible. Stress should be managed carefully, and those who have been prescribed medication should take it as recommended.

Even if you are lucky enough not to be suffering from high blood pressure, you can still take steps to lower your risk and to stop yourself from ever developing it. This is especially important if you are already in a high risk group for high blood pressure. Visiting a doctor regularly and carefully monitoring your blood pressure levels is extremely important. The American Heart Association estimates that over 20% of people suffering from high blood pressure are not aware of their condition. Furthermore, of those who know, 30.9% of people are not currently undergoing treatment. The possible complications and negative effects of hypertension are much too serious to not take control of your health. If you have this disease and do not treat it, you are putting your health, safety, and your very life at a substantial risk. If you are concerned about your blood pressure or if you are suffering from high blood pressure and not treating it properly visit with your doctor as soon as possible to discuss treatment options.