High Blood Pressure is defined as a reading greater than or equal to 140/90 mm/Hg. It means the blood running through your arteries flows with too much force and puts pressure on your arteries, stretching them past their healthy limit and causing blockages, blood clots and hardened, weakened arteries.
High blood pressure is a key risk factor for the development of heart attack, stroke, heart failure and kidney failure. It is estimated that we would have 50% less heart failure, if we could control blood pressure. About one in three U.S. adults have high blood pressure, and more than half of people with hypertension don't have it under control.
Alarming!! Isn’t It? The good news is it's totally preventable by keeping a tab on your health regularly.
As many as 20% of the deaths from heart disease and stroke could be prevented if people made healthy lifestyle changes: They should stop smoking, maintain a healthy weight, do more physical activity, consume less salt and manage their high blood pressure and high cholesterol, a recent government report said.
Exercises could do wonders
Exercise improves heart’s health & helps control our blood pressure. It helps keep our weight down. It helps skeletal muscles use oxygen more efficiently, and it helps build new channels for the heart's blood flow.
Important numbers to know
When doctors say know your numbers, they are telling you to keep track of your risk factors for heart disease. Besides blood pressure, the numbers we talk about for risk factors are BMI (body mass index, a number that takes into account height and weight), cholesterol and blood sugar.
Cardiovascular risks- What women should know
Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, not breast cancer. Heart disease is a five-times-bigger killer than breast cancer. Some of the same risk factors for heart disease are risk factors for breast cancer — lack of physical activity and obesity. So if women exercise regularly and keep a healthy weight, they are reducing their risk of heart disease and breast cancer as well.
One would be able to lead a better life with timely care and wise health decisions. Start monitoring your health regularly at home “to keep a tab on your health” and consult doctor at once in case of finding an anomaly.