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High Blood Pressure
Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and people who have abnormally high blood pressure or hypertension in their arteries are far more likely to die prematurely of heart disease. Hypertension is one of the main risk factors for heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure.
Primary hypertension is when the cause is unknown. When there is an underlying problem such as kidney disease or hormonal disorders that can cause hypertension, it is called secondary hypertension. Other factors that can contribute to hypertension include: age, diet, excessive alcohol consumption, lack of exercise, obesity, sleep apnea and stress. Hypertension is usually discovered at a regular medical checkup when a doctor or nurse takes a blood pressure reading.
If your blood pressure is above the normal range for multiple readings your doctor will likely diagnose you with high blood pressure. Everyone can have a temporary increase in blood pressure at one time or another, which is why it’s important to take multiple readings. If it is high, a physician will also want to know if there are other risk factors such as high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, smoking, or a family history of heart disease.
To lower your risk, here are some healthy lifestyle tips:
- limit your alcohol intake to:
- a maximum of 10 drinks per week for women
- a maximum of 15 drinks per week for men
- cut down on your salt consumption
- eat more fruits, vegetables, grains, and fibre
- get regular physical activity
- lose weight
- stop smoking
- get more potassium in your diet (talk to your doctor first before taking potassium)
If you have more questions about hypertension, talk to your Pharmasave Valleyview pharmacist.