How Long Will You Live With High Blood Pressure?

By HelloLife

Living with High Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is considered one of the main vital signs of the body, as it is the force exerted by circulating blood on the walls of blood vessels. The pumping of blood from arteries to capillaries allows for fluid exchange between the blood and body tissue. However, blood pressure can be affected by certain factors including genetics, age, weight, too much salt intake, or sleep apnea. Hypertension is a condition that creates high blood pressure by pumping of too much blood into the arteries. Although one in three Adults in the U.S. have hypertension, the majority are not aware of it, as it shows no signs of symptoms. Hypertension is often detected once serious damage has been caused to vital organs such as the heart and arteries. High blood pressure is defined as blood pressure that reads at or above 140/90 mm/Hg. A normal blood pressure is defined as blood pressure reading below 120/80mm/Hg. Due to the danger that hypertension presents, it can reduce a person's life expectancy if not caught in time and properly treated once diagnosed. There are, however, ways to counteract its effects and treat the condition.

How High Blood Pressure Reduces Life Expectancy

According to research based on data from a long running U.S. heart health study, having high blood pressure can take years off both life expectancy and the time that is lived free of disease. Researchers have found that having high blood pressure at the age of fifty is responsible for cutting off an average of five years from both men's and women's lives and caused them to endure up to seven more years with cardiovascular disease in comparison to adults who had normal blood pressure in middle age.

Complications from High Blood Pressure

Having high blood pressure can cause several medical related problems. Among the following medical concerns are:

Increased risk for stroke
Risk of heart attack
Risk of heart failure
Risk of kidney failure

As high blood pressure usually does not show and early warning signs or symptoms, it is often referred to as the silent killer.

Make Simple Changes against High Blood Pressure

How long a person with hypertension average life expectancy changes is dependent upon several factors, including a person's current health, and how serious someone is about proper health care. Medical Experts advise several changes to help keep blood pressure in check:

Maintain a normal weight
Exercise regularly
Abstain from smoking
Eat a diet with high amounts of fruit, vegetables and whole grains
Moderate salt intake
Moderate alcohol intake

Monitor the Condition

It is possible to monitor for high blood pressure at home to provide a log of blood pressure measurements for the doctor on a patient's next visit. If given permission from a physician or other healthcare provider, check to see what kind of equipment should be used and get approval for any purchased equipment. It is also important to remember not to substitute home treatment for a regular professional evaluation.

Sources:

http://hypertension.medicweb.org/basic_facts/blood_pressure.php

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=2114

http://www.news-medical.net/?id=11410

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=576