High Blood Pressure: What Causes It?
Carl Pruitt
High blood pressure (hypertension) is often referred to as the silent killer because it rarely exhibits any symptoms until significant damage is already done to a person's body. A routine physical is the most common method of finding out that one has the disease. However, the lack of symptoms should not lead to taking this disease lightly. The vast majority of patients who suffer heart attacks and congestive heart failure have hypertension first. High blood pressure is the top cause of heart disease. One in three people in the United States has high blood pressure.
Standard preliminary procedures will include a blood pressure check with every physical. This is usually done prior to even seeing the doctor and often before being taken to an examination room. Be alert to a common syndrome in which a patient's blood pressure increases significantly due to nervousness about visiting the doctor. This is often referred to as White Coat Syndrome. I react that way personally, and it has often lead to attempts to send m to the emergency room. The solution was to buy a home blood pressure monitoring unit to check blood pressure every day. These units are cheap and actually very accurate. Do not stop doctor visits just because you are following your blood pressure at home.
Although hypertension is a major causative factor in strokes and coronary heart disease, the sad truth is that 90% or more of cases have unknown or uncertain causes. For this reason, there is no simple answer to the question of what causes high blood pressure and there is no simple solution to the problem. The problem is best approached in a holistic fashion.
In a normal person blood pressure is kept within strict limits naturally. Low blood pressure results in arteries constricting to increase resistance and raise the blood pressure. When blood pressure goes too high, the body relaxes the arteries and veins to lower the pressure. People suffering from long term hypertension do not experience this normal pressure regulation and the disease must be treated with drugs, diet and major lifestyle changes.
Some of the factors medical authorities believe contribute to high blood pressure are:
* Excessive alcohol
* Tobacco
* Obesity
* Excessive amounts of dietary sodium
* Excessive Stress
* Excessive Caffeine
* Genetics
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.
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