Managing hypertension is an important key in maintaining your health. If left untreated, it can lead to further illnesses including stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, vision problems, and an arterial aneurysm. Read this informative article and learn more facts about hypertension and what you need to do to control it!

What Is Hypertension?
To understand what hypertension is, first you need to know what "blood pressure" is. Your blood pressure can simply be defined as "the force of the blood against your artery walls." This force is determined by the contractions of your heart. Hypertension causes your heart to work harder than it normally should.

Hypertension, which is commonly known as "High Blood Pressure," is a common medical disease in which a person's blood pressure is consistently higher than normal. It's estimated that one in four people have hypertension. Normally, your blood pressure should be around 120/80. If you're diagnosed with "Stage 1 Hypertension," your blood pressure consistently stays around 140-159/90-99. If you're diagnosed with "Stage 2 Hypertension," then your blood pressure hovers around 160 and above/100 and above.

To explain hypertension better, your healthcare professional uses a sphygmomanometer to find out your blood pressure. This device is commonly called a "Blood Pressure Cuff." Your blood pressure is two numbers. The first number in your blood pressure reading is called the "Systolic Pressure." This is the force after your heart muscle contracts. The second number, or "Diastolic Pressure," is the force before your heart contracts.

The Symptoms of Hypertension
Often, a person who is suffering from hypertension doesn't notice any symptoms. That's why this disability is known as "The Silent Killer." If your blood pressure reaches an extremely high level, you may experience symptoms like a terrible headache, pains in your chest, tiredness, mental confusion, difficulty in breathing, vision problems, an irregular heartbeat and even blood in your urine.

Who Has a Greater Risk of Developing Hypertension?
Everyone runs the risk of suffering from this disability. However, certain people have been found to be even more susceptible. These include people who smoke, who have a family history of high blood pressure, are overweight, drink a lot of alcohol, are sedentary, are over age 35 and whose diets consist of a lot of fatty and/or salty foods. Women who take birth control pills, as well as pregnant women are also at a greater risk, as are African-Americans.

How to Manage Your Hypertension
Even though high blood pressure is classified as a disability, you can still have it and live a normal life. But, you must properly manage your hypertension and take steps in prevention so it doesn't lead to other illnesses.

Your healthcare professional has probably put you on at least one prescription medicine to help regulate your blood pressure. While drugs can help, the biggest part of managing your hypertension is up to you. Lifestyle changes will go a long way in helping lower your blood pressure. If you smoke, quit. If you're overweight, avoid fad diets and follow a sensible eating plan instead. (To help control your hypertension, you should be eating a diet that's low in salt and fats.) If you're inactive, start exercising. Even just walking thirty minutes every day--outside, or on a treadmill--will help lower your blood pressure.

The DASH Diet
Following the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Diet can be especially helpful in managing hypertension. This daily eating plan promotes eating nuts, seeds and legumes. It also encourages eating a moderate amount of protein, monounsaturated oils, fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grain foods. Be sure to ask your healthcare professional about this diet and what he/she recommends for you.

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