A sedentary lifestyle and excess consumption of alcohol and fast food often proves dangerous. This can be concluded with the increase in the number of people suffering from hypertension. High blood pressure is one such disease often termed as “Silent Killer”, which is the result of unhealthy lifestyle and stress. The disease has become very common and it no longer comes with age. The disease often goes unnoticed by many, as there are no serious symptoms involved with it, but gradually it comes to the surface. The major damage occurs in the arteries and veins which clogs the smooth flow of blood in the body due to a consistent increase in the systolic and diastolic figures. The other parts of the body also face the pressure of a weak heart and can even result in disability.
Genetic High Blood Pressure
High Blood Pressure and Hypertension is considered as the two sides of the same coin. The two together are affecting a large number of people. As this disease is also genetic, it is passed on from generation to generation, often because taste buds of people remain same. This means that the habit of eating rich diets with high salt content also remains intact, with little or no exercise and excessive drinking. This is the reason, that many families still carry the legacy of high blood pressure patients and increase in the number of heart attacks.
Liability of High Blood Pressure
The intensity of the disease being fatal can be calculated based on the number of risks involved in the long run and short run. First and foremost the damage is done to the artery walls, which gets torn and starts accumulating excess cholesterol and fats which limits the outflow of blood. High blood pressure also results in strokes due to the clogging of the blood vessels in the heart. As the heart and kidney stand interconnected, the harm done to the kidneys cannot be avoided. The kidneys often fail to remove the toxins from the bodies due to damaged arteries, eventually leading to kidney failure. The eyes also lose their vision due to high blood pressure. The optic nerve swells up which leads to poor vision.
Detecting High Blood Pressure
The symptoms of blood pressure are highly understated, but still if one remains alert, early detection is possible. Early symptoms include persistent dull headaches, dizziness and bleeding from the nose. In case of an emergency outbreak, the indications can be severe headache accompanied by anxiety or breathlessness and nose bleeding.
The Interception of the Disease
As it is rightly said “Prevention is better than Cure”- one can combat the ill effects of high blood pressure by making some minor changes to their existing lifestyle. Regular walking and exercising considerably reduces the pressure on the heart. Being obese should be a big no, as obesity increases blood pressure. Inclusion of fruits and vegetables like apples, oranges, bananas, broccoli, legumes and fishes rich in omega -3 fatty acids is highly recommended. Foods that have high sugar content should be strictly avoided. Alcohol and red meat are equally deadly and should be removed from the diet plan. Keeping the mind stress free is most important as it results in a healthy heart and controlled blood pressure, so stress should be avoided at all costs.
