The silent killer

Often referred to as the silent killer, hypertension is one of the leading causes of premature death in males and females worldwide. If you have high blood pressure you are not alone, up to 1 in 4 men and 1 in 5 women have this condition worldwide.

High blood pressure (hypertension) is often overlooked as a diagnosis, due to the condition having little to no noticeable signs and symptoms, hence being called the silent killer.

So what does your doctor mean when they mention high blood pressure? High blood pressure is when the force of the blood flowing through your blood vessels, is consistently too high.

Uncontrolled high blood pressure puts extra strain on the blood vessels & heart and can lead to:

• Heart attacks or strokes

• Aneurysms

• Heart failure

• Eye problems

• Kidney failure

• Metabolic syndrome

• Changes in memory and understanding

• Dementia

Hypertension can be caused by a variety of factors depending on which type of hypertension you have:

Essential (primary) hypertension

Primary hypertension develops over time and is the most common type of hypertension.

It can be caused by the following:

1. Genes

2. Age

3. Race

4. Obesity

5. High alcohol consumption

6. Living a very sedentary lifestyle

7. Living with diabetes or metabolic syndrome

8. High sodium (salt) intake

Secondary hypertension

Secondary hypertension develops quickly and can become more severe than primary hypertension.

It can be caused by the following:

1. Kidney disease

2. Obstructive sleep apnea

3. Congenital heart defects

4. Thyroid problems

5. Medication side effects

6. Chronic alcohol consumption

As mentioned earlier most people with high blood pressure have little to no symptoms, even if blood pressure readings reach severe or life-threatening high levels.

Symptoms of severe hypertension/hypertensive crisis can include:

• flushing

• headaches

• dizziness

• blood spots in the eyes

• nosebleeds

• shortness of breath

Uncontrolled and untreated hypertension is life-threatening and due to the insignificance of symptoms, the best way to know if you have hypertension is to get regular blood pressure readings and checkups.

If you have a family history of high blood pressure, heart disease, or any risk factors for developing the condition, communicate with your doctor to ensure continuous monitoring to stay on top of any possible issues before they become problematic.

Not only is the recognition and treatment of high blood pressure an essential need for a healthy long life, but the prevention thereof is of utmost importance to lower the future risk of developing hypertension.

How to prevent and lower the risk of developing hypertension:

Have a healthy diet

Choose a healthy diet, with high levels of potassium, fiber, and protein and low levels of salt and saturated fat.

Maintain a healthy weight

Maintaining a healthy weight reduces the risk of developing high blood pressure. Consult with your health practitioner about a healthy weight.

Have an active lifestyle

Physical activity and exercise will maintain your weight and help reduce the risk of high blood pressure.

Age group	Amount of physical activity needed
Age 3-5 (pre-school)	Need to be active throughout the day
Age 6-17 years	>60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity for 3 days per week, >60 minutes of muscle-strengthening activity for 3 days per week, >60 minutes of bone-strengthening activity for 3 days per week,
Adults	At least 150 to 300 minutes a week of moderate-intensity or, 75 to 150 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity,   Muscle-strengthening activities of moderate or greater intensity that involve all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week
Older adults	As part of their weekly physical activity, older adults should do multicomponent physical activity that includes balance training and aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities—at least 150 minutes per week of exercise.

https://health.gov/sites/default/files/2019-09/Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_edition.pdf

Stop smoking

Smoking increases blood pressure and puts more strain on the heart increasing your risk for heart attacks and strokes.

Limit alcohol use

Alcoholic drinks can also lead to an increase in blood pressure, thus increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes

Get enough sleep

Getting enough sleep is essential to overall health and restoration of your body. Thus improving your sleep quality and getting enough sleep helps the body relax and reduces stress on the heart.

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

It is never too late to create a heart-healthy lifestyle and routine, and it is never too late to prevent, treat, and save yourself from the silent killer.