High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is often referred to as a ‘silent killer’. High blood pressure refers to a condition in which the pressure in your blood vessels is consistently higher than normal. It is a serious condition that rarely has any noticeable symptoms but increases the risk of many health-related complications such as arrhythmia, stroke, and other kinds of heart disease. Learning about the primary causes of high blood pressure can help you make the right changes in your lifestyle and effectively manage the condition. Let’s delve into the basic causes of this condition.
Unhealthy Lifestyle Choices
Our lifestyle choices significantly impact blood pressure. Here’s how:
- Diet: Fast foods such as pizza and burgers, and processed meats are high in sodium and can lead to increased blood pressure. Other processed foods such as canned soups and foods with trans or saturated fats can increase cholesterol and consequently lead to high blood pressure.
- Physical Inactivity: Exercising regularly should be an important part of your daily routine. This can help maintain a healthy blood pressure. People who lead a sedentary lifestyle are at a risk of gaining weight which is a leading cause of hypertension.
- Smoking and Excessive Alcohol Consumption: Smokers are likelier to develop hypertension as nicotine can narrow the arteries and harden their walls. Similarly, alcohol consumption is directly linked with high blood pressure. Both smoking and alcohol consumption must be limited or quit for best results.
Underlying Medical Conditions
Certain medical conditions can arise from high blood pressure or uncontrolled hypertention:
- Damage to arteries- Healthy arteries are flexible,strong and elastic. Their inner lining is smooth so that blood flows freely. Overtime,high blood pressure increases the pressure of blood through the arteries leading to damaged and narrowed arteries.
- Damage to heart- High blood pressure can cause certain life threatening heart problems like coronary artery disease, ventricular hypertrophy and heart failure.
- Damage to brain- High blood pressure affects the brain and it may be the reason for causing stroke,Dementia and mild cognitive impairments.
Making healthy lifestyle choices and going for regular and full body health check-ups at regular intervals can go a long way towards avoiding and keeping blood pressure in check. With proactive measures and a holistic approach, you can take control of your blood pressure and live a long, healthy, happy life.
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