Hypertension: What Causes It?
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High blood pressure, or hypertension, is known in the health care field as the "silent killer". It usually exhibits no symptoms until it has already done substantial damage to a patient's body. Most people only find out about their hypertension when they go in for a routine physical, but most people also tend to skip their routine physicals. Do not take this disease lightly, or delay treatment, just because there are no symptoms. A great majority of the people who experience heart attacks or develop congestive heart failure start out with hypertension. High blood pressure is the number one causative factor in heart disease and one out of every 3 people has high blood pressure
Your blood pressure will be checked as a standard preliminary procedure to any physical. Usually before you are even assigned to an examination room. Be aware of a condition known as White Coat Syndrome in which a person's blood pressure actually increases dramatically as a direct response to visiting the doctor. I react just that way myself, often leading my doctors and their nurses to try to send me to the emergency room when they see my normally high blood pressure become extremely high blood pressure once the cuff is strapped on me in the doctor's office. My solution to this was to buy a home digital blood pressure monitor. They are relatively cheap, and are very accurate. Don't use it to replace the doctor though.
Even though high blood pressure is the major cause of strokes and heart disease, 90% or more of hypertension cases have unknown or uncertain causes. There is no easy answer to what causes hypertension and no easy solution to the problem. This disease is best approached in a holistic fashion.
Ordinarily, a person's body keeps blood pressure under control naturally. In a non-hypertensive person blood pressure stays within strict limits. When blood pressure falls, the body automatically constricts the arteries and increases blood pressure. When blood pressure is high, this process occurs in reverse. For some reason, this process malfunctions in people with long term high blood pressure. When this happens the disease must be controlled by diet, drugs and lifestyle changes.
Here are some of the factors doctors think cause high blood pressure:
* Excess consumption of alcohol
* Tobacco smoking
* Obesity
* Excessive amounts of dietary sodium
* Excessive Stress
* Taking in too much caffeine
* Inherited tendencies
Clearly, most of the above factors are well within the patient's control. Therefore, controlling blood pressure naturally can help a great deal. Increasing fruit and vegetable intake while lowering dietary fat and cutting out a few bad habits will usually substantially lower blood pressure. If you are too fat, dropping a few pounds will make an amazing difference in blood pressure. Walking for 30 minutes a few times a week will lower blood pressure through weight loss and stress relief. Switching to the clinically proven DASH diet will help as well. Of course, with any medical condition, you need to consult with your doctor before you begin any exercise program or drastic dietary changes.
Article Source: Articlelogy.com
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