What Is High Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure is the force your blood exerts on the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps it around the body. It is measured in two numbers - systolic (the pressure when your heart beats) over diastolic (the pressure when your heart rests between beats). A reading consistently above 130/80 mmHg is considered high.
Hypertension is called a 'silent killer' because most people feel completely fine, even when their blood pressure is dangerously elevated. Without treatment, it damages the heart, kidneys, brain, and blood vessels over time.
Risk Factors
Several factors increase your risk of developing hypertension:
- Family history of high blood pressure or heart disease
- Excess body weight - especially abdominal fat
- High salt intake from processed or heavily seasoned foods
- Physical inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle
- Chronic stress
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Smoking or tobacco use
- Age - risk rises significantly after 50
How to Manage and Prevent It
Lifestyle changes are the first and most important line of defence:
- Reduce salt intake - aim for less than 5 g per day
- Eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins
- Exercise at least 30 minutes most days of the week
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Limit alcohol and quit smoking
- Manage stress through relaxation techniques, adequate sleep, and social support
When to See a Doctor
If you have not had your blood pressure checked in the past year, now is the time. Adults over 40 - or younger adults with risk factors - should check it at least annually. If your reading is consistently above 130/80, our Internal Medicine team at ClinicRW can develop a personalised management plan, which may include medication alongside lifestyle changes.
Do not wait for symptoms. Early detection and treatment prevent heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, and other serious complications.
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