High blood pressure is the most common chronic medical disorder worldwide, affecting more than one-third of adults in rich and poor countries. It is a complex disease with both genetic and environmental causes. High blood pressure leads to serious health problems and damages the brain, heart, and kidneys. High blood pressure is directly responsible for 10.5 million death each year or 19.1% of all deaths globally.
High blood pressure is called the silent killer. You can’t feel it, you can’t see it. Whenever your heart beats, it pumps blood into the blood vessels going to your body. If the pressure in the blood vessels is too high, there will be damage to the walls of the blood vessels every second of every day, day after day. It is like a hammer beating against a wall, harder and harder, day after day. After some time, the wall will be damaged and the blood vessel may become blocked or burst. When that happens in the brain, there is severe damage to the brain which is called a stroke.
The only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to get checked. Normal blood pressure is defined as a reading of less than 120/80 mm Hg. HIgh blood pressure is defined as a reading of greater than or equal to 140/90. In-between readings are called pre-hypertension. Every 20/10 point rise in blood pressure doubles your risk of death from stroke and heart attack. If your blood pressure is high, you need to take action to protect your health. Reducing salt intake, regular exercise, and weight loss can help lower your blood pressure. Inexpensive and safe medications are available everywhere to treat high blood pressure. You should always seek advice from a medical professional and take your medication everyday as instructed. Frequent checks of your blood pressure are important to make sure the medications are working and bringing the blood pressure down. With lifestyle changes and proper medical treatment, you can live healthy and reduce your risks of serious problems like a stroke or heart attack.