High Blood Pressure - Hypertension

Points to Ponder

If you have this condition you are not alone.  Over 50 million Americans or 217 out of 1000 have high blood pressure, that’s one out of every five people.  Many who have this condition are unaware of the health risks or that lifestyle changes could improve their blood pressure.

Commonly accepted blood pressure ranges:

Normal - 120/80                                           

Prehypertension - 130/85-59                                                        

Hypertension - 140/90

Risk factors mentioned in various sources include:

• Obesity
• Overweight
• Diabetes
• Age
• Race – African Americans have a higher risk than Caucasians
• Family history of high blood pressure
• High-Normal blood pressure
• High salt diet
• High saturated fat diet
• Lack of exercise
• Poor physical fitness
• Alcohol
• Alcoholism
• Stress
• Inactivity

Many of the risks on this list can be reversed by simple lifestyle changes.  Statistics show habits can be changed in just a few weeks – even if the habit has been reinforced over years. 

It’s easier to make changes if we write down our motivation.  This takes time and thought but will greatly increase your success on making those lifestyle changes.  Below is a list of the health consequences of not initiating changes to minimize these risk factors.

Is your life worth making some sacrifice for changing to better health habits?

Complications list for Hypertension:

• Kidney disease
• Kidney failure – hypertension is the second most common cause of kidney failure (after diabetes)
• End-stage renal disease
• Eye disease
• Heart disease
• Hardened arteries
• Cardiovascular disease
• Angina
• Heart attack
• Left ventricular hypertrophy
• Heart failure
• Left-side heart failure
• Stroke
• Cerebrovascular disease
• Cerebral hemorrhage
• Retinal damage
• Impaired Vision
• Dementia
• Death

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