High blood pressure, which usually has no symptoms, is hard on the heart and other organs.
To help keep this “silent killer” at bay, consider these facts and tips from Dr. Michael Prisant, director of the Hypertension and Clinical Pharmacology Unit at the Medical College of Georgia’s Cardiovascular Center.
High blood pressure can cause:
• the heart to get larger, which can lead to heart failure.
• small bulges (aneurysms) to form in blood vessels. Common locations are the main artery from the heart; arteries in the brain, legs, and intestines; and the artery leading to the spleen.
• blood vessels in the kidneys to narrow, which might cause kidney failure.
• arteries throughout the body to harden faster, especially those in the heart, brain, kidneys and legs. This can cause a heart attack, stroke or kidney failure, or lead to amputation of part of the leg.
• blood vessels in the eyes to burst or bleed, which can cause vision changes and can result in blindness.
SOURCE: National Institutes of Health, www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci
Get regular blood-pressure checks. One-third of Americans have high blood pressure and might not know it. Blood pressure below 120/80 is considered normal. A consistent reading of 140/90 or higher is considered high.
Your doctor should measure your blood pressure twice at every visit after a five-minute rest period. Most doctors will diagnose high blood pressure on the basis of two or more readings, taken on several occasions.
Control your risk factors. High blood pressure can’t be cured, but it can be prevented and controlled in most cases. Adopt healthy habits:
• Eat healthful foods
• Eat less salt
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Exercise
• Limit alcohol
• Don’t smoke
Use medicine if needed. If lifestyle changes aren’t enough to control your blood pressure, your doctor might prescribe medications. Be careful mixing these with over-the-counter drugs. Drugs such as ibuprofen or naproxen might interfere with blood pressure-lowering medications.
Source: http://www.thestate.com
