Did you know? As per the results of a large scale survey in 2019, Indians above 45 years of age were seen to have higher levels of high blood pressure compared to younger respondents. The average Blood Pressure in the country was around 120/77 that year. (Source)
According to the American Heart Association, blood pressure is the amount of force exerted on the artery walls as the heartbeats. Arteries are tubes that carry blood from the heart to all other parts of the body.
High blood pressure, also referred to as hypertension, increases your chances of developing other illnesses that include heart disease, stroke and kidney disorders. While you can’t always take things in your control to prevent the blood pressure problems, there are still some measures that can help you mitigate the risk.
How can you prevent high blood pressure?:
- Keep a check on your weight
When it comes to preventing hypertension, weight is the most crucial factor and known to rise with an increase in pounds. Moreover, being overweight means you will have a disrupted sleep (sleep apnea), which leads to blood pressure problems
Lose extra pounds and watch your waistline to control blood pressure. Once you shed that extra weight, it will decrease the amount of pressure that is exerted to move blood around the body.
Additionally, losing the extra weight around the waistline will lower your chances of developing high blood pressure. To know about the healthy waist measurement, you can always consult the most experienced heart specialist in Amritsar.
- Eat a balanced diet
Given the sedentary lifestyle, it is not easy to change eating habits but one step towards this direction can bring a major change. You can always watch your diet and adopt simple living.
Eating a diet that is rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products can keep your blood pressure under control. Follow the right diet to manage blood pressure and bring a positive transformation in your life.
- Exercise regularly
If you aren’t exercising, don’t expect your body to stay safe from illnesses like hypertension. To prevent it, you need to get moving.
To start with, you can choose to do moderate exercise for about 30 minutes three times a week. You will be amazed to know that physical workout is the most effective answer to people asking how to prevent high blood pressure.
- Limit salt intake
Cut back on salt to keep blood pressure normal. Experts advocate the fact that blood increases as you increase salt intake. This becomes the reason for people to develop complications as they struggle to get rid of this problem.
Start with saying no to high-sodium packaged and processed food and not adding extra salt to your meals.
Bonus: Don’t exceed the sodium intake limit of 2300 mg a day or less.
How do you feel when you have high blood pressure?:
High blood pressure often accompanies the following symptoms:
- Severe headaches
- Fatigue or confusion
- Nosebleed
- Vision issues
- Breathing complications
- Chest pain
- Irregular heartbeat
- Presence of urine in the blood
Does water help reduce blood pressure?:
This is one of the most common questions asked by people fighting their battle against blood pressure problems Unsurprisingly, water carries a lot of benefits to help high blood pressure patients cope with the drastic effects.
As per studies, adding minerals like magnesium and calcium to water assists in lowering blood pressure.
Lemon and limes are also effective in treating this problem when added to water. So you can’ miss recognizing the potential of water in treating this disease.
Tip: Drink 8 glasses of water a day to keep hypertension at bay.
First aid for high blood pressure:
Having high blood pressure increases the chances of a stroke. Taking cognizance of this fact, it is always advisable to keep yourself educated on the things you can do in case the blood pressure rises beyond limits.
- Call for medical help.
- Make the casualty sit down comfortably and relax.
- Take a reading of the blood pressure. In case the first reading is suspiciously high, go for the second one.
- Ask the casualty to intake his prescribed medication.
- Make him eat a piece of dark chocolate to assist the release of endorphins that will calm him down.
The heart specialist in Amritsar recommends not to give any sort of medications that are not prescribed to the patient in an emergency and wait for medical experts to reach out for help. In addition to this, you should always record the blood pressure levels regularly if you have developed this problem.
What is emergency treatment for high blood pressure?:
Undoubtedly, adopting a healthy lifestyle can reduce the risk to a great extent. However, relying solely on it can affect a precious life. In severe cases, the doctor will diagnose your risk of developing other diseases like heart attacks or strokes. To do so, your doctor will carry out some blood and urine tests to identify the risk.
- If your blood pressure is consistently above 140/90 mmHg, but the risk of developing other ailments is low- you’ll be advised to transform your lifestyle
- If your blood pressure is consistently above 140/90 mmHg and the risk of developing other diseases is also high, your specialist will prescribe you the medicine
Medical treatments can help the specialist keep the situation under control. The following pattern is followed in general.
- An ACE inhibitor or an angiotensin-2 receptor blocker (ARB) is offered to patients who fall under the age limit of 55.
- A calcium channel blocker is offered to patients above the age of 55.
Takeaways:
Hypertension is something that requires you to bring a holistic change in your lifestyle. You can always seek medical assistance as soon as you begin to identify the symptoms.
Being the best hospital in Amritsar, we at Smt. Paarvati Devi Hospital is dedicated to providing the right care and treatment to our patients and give them healthy lives.
Call us at any hour of the day to seek our assistance and our team of doctors will be more than ready to look after you and your dear ones.