High Blood pressure(Arterial Hypertension): 5 facts you may want to know.

Recently a friend of mine told me about his episode when he had a sudden increase in blood pressure. It seems rare considering that he is 20 years old, but anything can be expected from the human body. Let me share with you the main things you might want to know about high blood pressure or as we call it Arterial Hypertension (AH).

Usually people estimate their blood pressure ranges without any knowledge. We have to understand that certain clinical guidelines have been published by different associations concerning blood pressure ranges. I am going to focus on the European guidelines published by the European Society of Hypertension that define AH as BP ≥140/90 mm Hg.

So incase you are wondering what exactly are the 5 facts you may want to know, let me start with the most important one:

1. Young people can have high blood pressure, too.

High blood pressure is not only found in adults. This is were most of us make the mistake. We start abandoning a healthy lifestyle at a young age , becoming obese, increased alcohol consumption and smoking which all leads to increased risk of stroke among young adults which is a direct result of the rising rates of obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes—conditions that are preventable and treatable. Every adult over 18 years of age should have routine blood pressure check-ups. All adults should have blood pressure checks at least once a year, especially if they have stressful occupations or a family history of hypertension.

2.High blood pressure usually doesn’t have any symptoms.

High blood pressure is sometimes called the “silent killer.” Most people with high blood pressure don’t have any symptoms, such as sweating or headaches. Because many people feel fine, they don’t think they need to get their blood pressure checked. Even if you feel normal, your health may be at risk. Talk to your doctor about your risk for high blood pressure

3."White-coat Hypertension"

Not every patient who exhibits hypertension signs in the doctor’s office has high blood pressure. “White-coat hypertension” occurs when a person gets nervous in a medical setting, leading to a spike in blood pressure that doesn’t necessarily reflect their true health. But this type of hypertension should be taken seriously, even if it is a product of nerves. This may be because people with white-coat hypertension are more prone to anxiety.

4.High blood pressure can be life threatening.

High blood pressure doesn’t kill people directly, but it can lead to some deadly complications. Hypertension adds potentially fatal stress to vital organs like the heart, kidneys, and brain. When you have high blood pressure, your risk of heart attack, stroke, chronic heart failure and kidney disease.

5.High blood pressure can be improved by medications and Lifestyle changes.

I recommend living a healthy lifestyle that includes daily exercises , eating healthy and living a stress free life. Incase you are in need of medication i would advice you to visit your doctor.

So lets keep in mind "prevention is better than cure". Be out there and trying living as healthy as possible.