Hypertension: What You Need To Know As You Age

It is important that your healthcare provider checks your blood pressure regularly. Some causes of hypertension cannot be controlled, including your genes and race (African hoge bloeddruk verlagen Americans are at higher risk). Even if you don’t have hypertension between the ages of 55 and 65, your lifetime risk of developing it is as high as 90 percent.

Blood pressure is the force of blood against the inner walls of the arteries. You have normal fluctuations throughout the day: falling when you’re relaxed or asleep, getting up naturally in the morning, and temporarily increasing when you’re under stress, aroused, or exercising. But when your blood pressure rises too high at rest, it can heal, harden, and/or weaken blood vessels. Research suggests that how you deal with your stress is very important. Avoid unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as smoking, consuming alcohol, poor food choices, not being active, and watching too much TV.

Or it’s called a hypertensive emergency if there are symptoms that indicate damage to the brain, heart, or kidneys. If you have a hypertensive emergency, you may need to undergo a change in your medication right away or be evaluated in the emergency room. If you have a hypertensive emergency, you should be evaluated in an emergency room; and you’ll probably have hospitalization. But you can find out if your blood pressure is higher than normal by checking it yourself or having it checked regularly by your healthcare provider. For children and teens, the health care provider compares the blood pressure reading with what is normal for other children who are the same age, height, and gender. Smoking damages arteries and increases the risk of heart disease.

When they feel more relaxed, their blood pressure usually drops. To ensure that high blood pressure readings are not caused by anxiety, doctors will sometimes monitor a person’s blood pressure for an entire day. On the other hand, you may experience normal blood pressure when measured in the doctor’s office, but in other situations have high blood pressure.

The dietary approaches to stop hypertension and limit sodium Plan help control blood pressure. Ask your doctor to refer you to a dietitian for a more personalized eating plan. High blood pressure is a potentially dangerous condition that often has no symptoms, but can lead to heart attack, stroke and other life-threatening conditions. Health experts define healthy blood pressure as less than 120 over 80 mm Hg. A 2021 study notes that while death rates from cardiovascular disease have declined in older adults, the reduction has been less dramatic in people ages 18 to 39.

Most people with high blood pressure are “salt sensitive,” meaning that something other than the minimum body requirement for salt is too much for them and raises their blood pressure. Blood pressure is the measure of the strength of blood pushing against the walls of blood vessels. The heart pumps blood to the blood vessels, which carry blood throughout the body. If you are nervous when you go to your appointment, you may have a false high blood pressure reading. If this happens, your healthcare provider may ask you to wear a blood pressure monitor to monitor your blood pressure throughout the day. You can keep track of your blood pressure readings for your appointments.

But if left untreated, it increases the risk of serious problems, such as heart attacks and strokes. The minerals calcium, magnesium, and potassium (found in low-fat, fat-free dairy products, such as milk and yogurt, as well as in products and dried beans) help your body regulate blood pressure. That includes the large amounts of sodium, which are found in many processed foods, by making sure your body retains water and squeezes even small blood vessels. Saturated fat (found in meat, cheese, butter, whole dairy products, and many processed foods) can also raise blood pressure. Smoking increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and other health problems.