Hypertension

According to the British Heart Foundation , as many as 7 million people in the UK are living with undiagnosed high blood pressure (hypertension). Concerned you may be at risk? We spoke with Dr Andrew Thornber, Chief Medical Officer at Now Patient , to uncover the facts about high blood pressure. What is classed as high blood pressure? Advertisement - Continue Reading Below Your blood pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg) and consists of two numbers: the higher number refers to systolic pressure. This is the force with which your heart pumps blood around your body. The lower number refers to diastolic pressure. This is the resistance to the blood flow in your blood vessels. Normal blood pressure is considered to be a reading between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg. ‘The only way to know whether you have high blood pressure is to have it measured,’ says Dr Thornber. ‘Your GP will probably be concerned if your blood pressure reading is 140/90mmHg or higher.’ What cause...

Hypertension is the leading risk factor for premature death worldwide.  It increases the mortality rates associated with diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease and eye disease.  What is alarming is the increasing incidence of this disease, especially in South Africa. As the diet and lifestyle of South Africans changes to adopt a more Western diet, there are dramatic changes.  South Africa has the highest incidence in sub-saharan Africa.  One study done back in 2008 already showed that up to 77% of people in S Africa over the age of 50 years had high blood pressure. ALSO READ :  Turning the Tide – Antioxidants and their benefits (Part 1) It is well known that the incidence of hypertension rises with age, but of significance is that there are more and more young people who are now hypertensive.  West and East Africans have much lower incidences of hypertension than South Africans – most probably related to the differences in diet and lifestyle. ...

Millions of Americans live with high blood pressure. Many of them have no idea they have it . Unfortunately, undiagnosed and uncontrolled hypertension is both common and extremely dangerous . It can lead to a heart attack or stroke, and could even become fatal. Much of the advice you may have come across or heard from your health care provider about preventing and reducing hypertension probably involved weight loss or weight control. What’s up with that? What does your weight have to do with your blood pressure anyway? How are weight and high blood pressure really related? Why are so many people with high blood pressure told to lose weight — and why does it matter? Plus, learn the most common safe and healthy tips for losing weight if you’ve been diagnosed with hypertension. What causes high blood pressure? High blood pressure | iStock.com/AndreyPopov The most common risk factors that could lead to the development of high blood pressure include: Age (50 and over) A family h...

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, means the pressure of the blood in your blood vessels is higher than it should be. Most people have no symptoms, even when their blood pressure is unusually high. In fact, about one in five people don’t know they have it. For this reason, it is often called a “silent killer.” What is considered high blood pressure? Blood pressure above 140 over 90 is considered high. What causes high blood pressure? A few things that play a role in its development, includes: Smoking Being overweight Lack of physical activity Too much salt in the diet Drinking too much alcohol (more than 1 to 2 drinks per day) Older age Family history of high blood pressure (heredity) Race (African Americans have high blood pressure more often and more severely than white Americans) Having chronic kidney disease Why is high blood pressure bad? High blood pressure can harden your arteries, which decreases the flow of blood and oxygen to your heart and...

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a condition in which the pressure of blood in the body is too high. If blood pressure is high, it needs to be controlled, as otherwise it can put extra strain on the blood vessels serving the organs. This can lead to serious health problems like heart attacks and strokes. It’s not always clear what causes high blood pressure, but certain things can increase the risk. What are the risk factors which can lead to high blood pressure? According to the NHS, factors that can raise the risk of developing high blood pressure include eating a lot of salt in your diet, being overweight, and not getting enough exercise. Regularly drinking large amounts of alcohol, smoking and suffering from long-term sleep deprivation can also increase the risk. In addition, people with a family history of the condition and those of African or Caribbean origin also have a higher risk. In order to reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure , making healt...

High blood pressure is associated with heart disease and an increased risk of diabetes, as well as other related health problems. It forces the heart to overwork itself trying to keep you alive, which could actually lead to a heart attack — or worse. It’s widely known that caffeine raises your heart rate, makes you jittery, and does things to your brain that makes you feel like you have superpowers. But does this mean it has a direct effect on your blood pressure — or that it could be putting your health at risk ? Here’s how caffeine may affect your blood pressure, other common causes of the potentially serious health condition, and how much caffeine is actually safe to consume on a daily basis. What causes high blood pressure? High blood pressure | Ronstik/iStock/Getty Images There is no one single “cause” of high blood pressure. Rather, there are a number of what health experts call risk factors that can contribute to the development of the condition. These are factors, such...