Hypertension, more commonly known as High Blood Pressure, can be defined as abnormally high levels of strain against the walls of veins and arteries each time the heart beats. This is diagnosed when a person’s blood pressure consistently measures higher than 140/90 during regular blood pressure screening. While some people with high blood pressure experience headaches, blurred vision, fatigue, or a general feeling of malaise, many people don’t experience any symptoms at all.
If you suspect that you may have hypertension, the first step is to make an appointment with your doctor to discuss your concerns. If you are found to have high blood pressure that meets the criteria mentioned above, you will then be prescribed medication to lower your hypertension. Make sure to thoroughly discuss the medication with your doctor so that you know what pressure readings to expect moving forward, common side effects and what merits a return to the doctor’s office.
Aside from medication, several lifestyle changes would help control your hypertension and keep it from rising further. Some changes to your daily diet would include lowering your salt intake at home and being aware of the amount of salt you are consuming in processed foods and restaurants. Implementing an exercise and weight loss program will help manage your high blood pressure and it will also have positive benefits for every area of your health and wellness. Optimizing your general health will help you become more aware of the effectiveness of the medication.
