Introduction
High blood pressure, also commonly referred to as hypertension, is a condition wherein the pressure of the blood within the arteries becomes too high, eventually leading to more serious health complications. It is a major contributor to the risk of heart disease and stroke, causing over 1,100 deaths per day. While it may be difficult to tell whether or not you would need to lower blood pressure, especially in its early stages, it can easily be detected with the help of trained health professionals. To minimize the likelihood of hypertension causing problems in the future, it is important to watch out for early signs and work with a health provider to manage it.
What are the signs of high blood pressure?
Most people with high blood pressure exhibit no symptoms, even after blood pressure readings reach dangerous levels. Often, patients are unaware of their hypertension because it is difficult to distinguish any apparent signs and symptoms of high blood pressure.
Until their blood pressure readings reach dangerously high levels, it can often go unnoticed. However, there are some signs patients can watch out for such as nosebleeds, headaches, or shortness of breath. The trouble is that these symptoms may not be specific to high blood pressure and can be mistakenly attributed to other conditions. Other symptoms that arise once hypertension becomes more severe include the following:
- Fatigue or confusion
- Chest pains and difficulty breathing
- Vision problems
- Irregular heartbeat
- Pulse pounding in your chest, neck or ears
- Nape pain
- Headache, occasionally accompanied by vomiting
- Dizziness
- Loss of consciousness
Once these symptoms manifest and especially if the patient has a history of high blood pressure, it’s important to reach out to a doctor right away. Preemptively, patients can also consider looking into factors that affect their risk levels of high blood pressure.
What could cause you to need to lower blood pressure?
There are a number of risk factors that determine a patient’s likelihood of having elevated blood pressure. Some of the key contributors to consider are:
- Age and Sex – The older a patient gets, the more likely they are at risk of having hypertension. In the Philippines, around 28% of both men and women have hypertension, with the majority of cases developing after the age of 60.
- Genetics – Hypertension is more likely to occur in patients with a family history of high blood pressure.
- Being overweight or obese. – Being overweight or obese puts patients at a higher risk of hypertension because the heavier someone is, the more blood is required to supply oxygen and nutrients to the rest of the body. The more blood passes through your blood vessels, the higher the pressure gets.
- Diet and lifestyle choices. – Certain lifestyle choices such as having a sedentary lifestyle, consuming too much alcohol, or using tobacco increase the risk of developing hypertension. Some aspects of diet such as having too much salt (sodium) also affect your blood pressure levels in a negative way.
- Stress – Increased stress levels can contribute to an increase in blood pressure. Behaviors and coping mechanisms when a patient is stressed such as stress eating, drinking alcohol, or using tobacco can further escalate the problem.
Managing these risk factors, especially those linked to lifestyle and diet, can help lower the likelihood of hypertension. However, it is still important to keep an eye on your blood pressure levels to ensure that they are within normal range and prevent further complications. Also, getting checked regularly can help detect and manage almost any condition, including hypertension. Often, early detection is the key to successful treatment.
What are the long-term effects of high blood pressure?
Prolonged high blood pressure can affect key organs and lead to a drastically increased risk of serious health complications or conditions such as stroke, heart attack, or kidney failure.
Some of the most common long-term high blood pressure effects include the following:
- Heart Disease – Eventually, chronic hypertension can lead to a number of heart complications, such as coronary artery disease, aneurysm, permanent cardiac damage, an enlarged left heart chamber, and even heart failure.
- Stroke – Among the most common effects of hypertension, a stroke occurs when there is not enough oxygen and nutrients supplied to part of the brain, causing brain cells to die. Some severe strokes may be fatal.
- Kidney Failure – When the kidneys are no longer able to filter out toxins that the body is naturally exposed to through food or environment, kidney failure can occur.
Because so much of the body relies on oxygen and nutrients being delivered through the blood, chronic hypertension can lead to complications in key organs. It is important to take the initiative to monitor your blood pressure levels, especially with the guidance of trained health professionals. To get started on your journey towards better health and away from the dangers of high blood pressure, learn how EVA Teleconsult works today.
How to lower your blood pressure without meds?
While high blood pressure can be prevented without medication simply by making sensible lifestyle choices, when chronic hypertension presents, it’s best to manage these with a combination of lifestyle changes, medicine, and consultation with a doctor. To give yourself the best chance of preventing chronic hypertension, consider the following:
- Maintaining a healthy weight and a healthy diet – Maintaining a healthy weight and a healthy diet are some of the most effective ways to control your blood pressure. Because obesity and certain dietary choices can dramatically increase your risk of hypertension, actively taking preemptive measures to eat healthy and avoid being overweight can reduce some of that risk.
- Maintaining an active lifestyle – Regular exercise has been proven to lower high blood pressure. Doctors typically recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day. Regular exercise can also prevent elevated blood pressure from further progressing into hypertension. Some examples of exercise that can help bring blood pressure down to safer levels are aerobic exercises such as jogging, dancing, or cycling. It should also be noted that regular exercise will not prevent development of hypertension for those who are at high risk but it will help lower blood pressure for hypertensive patients through weight loss.
- Reducing tobacco use and alcohol intake – Reducing tobacco use and alcohol intake are both effective preemptive measures to avoid hypertension. These steps will also protect your body from respiratory problems and many kidney or liver diseases.
- Getting a good night’s sleep – Not getting enough sleep or having poor sleep quality can contribute to hypertension. Actively taking steps to improve your sleep quality as well as allocating enough hours for your body to recuperate from the day will not only help keep your blood pressure at manageable levels but also improve your overall health.
Tracking your blood pressure levels will also allow you to be more informed about what measures to take in order to manage hypertension. To learn how to get effective and convenient medical attention backed by expertise, you may check our FAQs
How can EVA Teleconsult help to lower blood pressure?
While lifestyle changes and living consciously to maintain your health are major steps in avoiding high blood pressure, it is always best to consult with medical professionals. EVA Teleconsult’s doctors are well-equipped to help you deal with almost any health condition, including hypertension. With us, you can expect:
- Punctual appointments – When you book a consultation with our doctors, your session will start when it’s supposed to. We respect your time and give you the attention you need, when you need it.
- 30 minutes of consultation time – A good diagnosis should never be rushed, so we take the time to discuss your symptoms and find the right treatment plan for you. We also answer any questions you may have about your condition, to make you fully aware about it and put you back in control of your health.
- Five-star rated doctors – Don’t just take our word for it! Our doctors are some of the most highly rated anywhere, a testament to our commitment to putting our patients’ comfort and peace of mind first.
When it comes to hypertension and other health concerns, our doctors are well trained and highly accommodating and they will be able to provide you with the care you deserve. Take the first step towards a better life, take control of your health, and contact us today.
