Blood pressure is the force with which blood presses against the walls of the arteries to deliver nutrients and oxygen to various parts of the body. Blood pressure can change throughout the day, but it is called high blood pressure or hypertension if it tends to be above the normal range. If you have high blood pressure in McKinney, it is advisable to get tested by professionals. Here is why you need a regular high blood pressure checkup.
What causes hypertension?
Anyone can develop hypertension. However, the risk increases with age. It is essential to have a regular blood pressure checkup regardless of whether you are at high risk or not. Worth noting, there are no signs to alert on the onset of hypertension, hence the reason it is a silent killer.
Most hypertension risk factors are known. However, these may vary from one person to another. It can also be caused by a sudden increase in weight due to poor dietary habits; As well; poor nutrition, which occurs when you eat food with lots of fat or salt, can contribute to high blood pressure. Another silent cause is a sedentary lifestyle and low physical activities due to work demands.
Other causes of hypertension include excessive consumption of alcohol and smoking. In addition, if you live a stressful life and cannot cope with life demands, you are at high risk of hypertension. High blood pressure can also occur due to hereditary factors, such that if other people in your family have experienced this condition, the chance is, you are at high risk.
How to cope with high blood pressure
After a diagnosis of hypertension, it is imperative to change your lifestyle, which includes adjusting your diet and incorporating exercises.
It would help if you also had constant monitoring of your blood pressure level by measuring and recording with a shoulder cuff. For accuracy, measure blood pressure only while sitting and take a five minutes rest before you commence.
Based on your recordings, your doctor can understand the inherent risk and evaluate the effectiveness of your control program. It also enables you to adhere to your treatment plan strictly.
You can try daily workouts such as walking, cycling, swimming, skiing, and skating. In addition, you can include certain foods in your diets, such as fresh vegetables, fruits, low-fat dairy products, whole grains and lean meats, fish, and poultry.
Remember that a slight weight reduction can lead to a decrease in blood pressure. If the weight reaches normal values, then the pressure will drop even more.
In addition, you can avoid a lot of salt in your diet, alcohol consumption, smoking, fast food, cold meats, and food high in sugar and fat.
Treating high blood pressure with drug therapy
Most people with hypertension require drugs alongside lifestyle changes to lower their blood pressure and live a normal lifestyle.
Even if your blood pressure is under control, you will need to continue taking medication as instructed by your doctor. Contact the experts at Redwood Family Health Center for assessment and treatment.