High blood pressure, also called Hypertension, is dangerous because it makes the heart work too hard.
High blood pressure not only increases the risk for heart disease and stroke, two leading causes of death in New Zealand, it can also cause other problems such as blindness
High blood pressure, also called Hypertension, is dangerous because it makes the heart work too hard, increasing your chance (or risk) for getting heart disease and/or kidney disease, and for having a stroke. It is especially dangerous because it often has no warning signs or symptoms. Regardless of race, age, or gender, anyone can develop high blood pressure.
It also makes the walls of the arteries hard. High blood pressure not only increases the risk for heart disease and stroke, two leading causes of death in New Zealand, it can also cause other problems such as blindness.
Risk Factors
Risk factors are behaviors or conditions that can increase your chances of developing a disease. For instance, high blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
There are other risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Most can be modified, though some cannot. The more risk factors you have, the greater your chances of developing disease. So it is important to take steps to prevent or control these risk factors.
Heart Disease and Stroke Risk Factors That Can be Controlled Are:
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- High blood cholesterol
- Cigarette smoking
- Diabetes
- Overweight
- Physical inactivity
Risk Factors Beyond Your Control Are:
Age (45 years and older for men and 55 years or older for women).
Family history of early heart disease (having a mother or sister who has been diagnosed with heart disease before age 65, or a father or brother diagnosed before age 55) or family history of stroke.
Understanding High Blood Pressure – continued
What is High Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure rises and falls during the day. When blood pressure stays elevated over time, it is called high blood pressure or hypertension…
What Causes High Blood Pressure?
The causes of high blood pressure vary. Causes may include narrowing of the arteries, a greater than normal volume of blood, or the heart beating faster or more forcefully than it should…
Who Can Get High Blood Pressure?
Its estimated that 1 in 4 adults have high blood pressure. High blood pressure tends to develop as people get older, but this is not a part of healthy aging…
What is Systolic Blood Pressure?
Systolic pressure is the force of blood in the arteries as the heart beats. It is shown as the top number in a blood pressure reading…
What is Diastolic Blood Pressure?
Diastolic pressure is the force of blood in the arteries as the heart relaxes between beats. It’s shown as the bottom number in a blood pressure reading…
Monitoring Blood Pressure at Home
One of the greatest benefits of monitoring your blood pressure yourself is that you will have a much better understanding of your condition …
The Effect of High Blood Pressure on The Body
The effect of high blood pressure on the physiology is often under estimated. On this page we take a brief look at the effect of High Blood Pressure on the brain, eyes, arteries, kidneys, and heart…
The Prescription to Meditate web site is intended for people who are interested in learning more about preventing and controlling high blood pressure – naturally.
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