Many people neglect their hypertension condition when, in fact, it is very risky. No matter how old you are, you can have hypertension. The more you age, the more you are at risk of having high blood pressure. It is even more worrisome that some people may not notice their high blood pressure condition until they have severe complications. Therefore, do not be complacent and start taking control of your blood pressure before it is too late.
What is Blood Pressure?
It is a measure of the force that your heart uses to pump blood to circulate oxygen throughout the body. Sometimes blood pressure measurement can help prevent high blood pressure. There are 2 types of blood pressure:
- Systolic Blood Pressure (upper number) measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats.
- Diastolic Blood Pressure (lower number) is the pressure in the arteries when the heart rests between beats.
What You Need to Know about Hypertension
Hypertension or high blood pressure is a condition when your blood pressure elevates above the normal range, which is greater than or equal to 140/90 consistently for a long period of time. There may not be any symptom but it damages the arteries and heart, causing severe complications that lead to death or disability such as heart disease, stroke, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, aortic aneurysm, kidney failure, etc. Therefore, it is important to detect signs of hypertension early on, so you can control it and reduce any severe complication.
Measuring High Blood Pressure
Blood pressure should be measured repeatedly 2-3 times steadily to ensure that the reading is accurate.
|
SYSTOLIC mm Hg (upper number) |
DIASTOLIC mm Hg (lower number) |
Blood Pressure Categories |
|
<120 |
< 80 |
Normal |
|
120 – 139 |
80 – 89 |
Elevated |
|
≥ 140 |
≥ 90 |
High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) Stage 1 |
|
≥ 160 |
≥ 100 |
High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) Stage 2 |
Risk Factors for Hypertension
One in 2 Thais sufferes from hypertension which is usually caused by degeneration of blood vessels. When blood pressure increases, blood vessels will be hardened and more rigid. Moreover, if there are other triggers such as heredity, diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, eating spicy food, stress, and restless, the risk for hypertension is even higher.
Symptoms
- Headache
- Pain in the back of the head
- Dizzy
Treatment
In the early stage with minimal symptoms, doctor will recommend lifestyle modification such as:
- Manage weight to the healthy level
- Eat healthy meals – Dash Diet (Link to https://www.bangkokhospital.com/th/bangkok-heart/content/dash-diet-healthy-eating-to-control-blood-pressure)
- Focus on eating fruits and vegetables
- Eat less salty and fatty oily food
- Exercise regularly
- Avoid smoking cigarettes
- Limit alcohol intake
Doctor may also recommend some medications to prevent future complications.
Exercise to Control Blood Pressure
Exercise for people with hypertension will emphasize on body movement for 150-200 mins per week rather than strength training. They should avoid heavy weight training as it may lead to higher blood pressure. Therefore, they should be careful or get advice from a specialist. In addition, they should not exercise strenuously as the body needs rest to repair and recover.
Early detection and early treatment of hypertension can reduce the risks of stroke by 35 – 40%, coronary artery disease by 20 – 25%, and heart failure by more than 50%. Therefore, you should measure your blood pressure regularly to ensure that you are in good shape.
