Hypertension: Blood Pressure Myths

MoreFrom HelloLife

• As part of a healthy lifestyle, Hyperexol safely adds daily nutrition to help support your dietary choices for healthy blood pressure
• Contains a proprietary blend of natural botanicals, vitamins and minerals to support your healthy lifestyle

Learn more about Hyperexol

Hypertension:Blood Pressure Facts & Myths introduction

This article concludes the two-part series on the facts and myths surrounding hypertension.Hypertension myths will be the focus of this final article.

No matter what you call it, high blood pressure, HTN, hypertension, arterial hypertension, secondary hypertension, primary hypertension, or the "Silent Killer," the result is the same:potential devastation.All the names share the same definition:chronically elevated blood pressure.

Hypertension is described as 140/90 (1).This is read as 140 over 90.The top number represents the heart contracting and is called the systolic number.The bottom number represents the heart resting and is called the diastolic number.

Hypertension:blood pressure myths

The number one myth of hypertension is it isn't too dangerous.After all, people don't die from hypertension.

The fact is hypertension is very dangerous, and people can and do die from it.The fact is an American dies every two minutes from hypertension and its complications (2).Hypertension increases risk for blindness, congestive heart failure, dementia, heart disease, kidney damage, renal failure, stroke . . . and death.Another scary fact is a person doesn't have to live for years with hypertension before risk for health complications to result.Hypertension can strike without warning, and the first strike may be the last.

The number two myth of hypertension is that it has plenty of symptoms to give warning.

The fact is hypertension has no symptoms and no warning signals.That's the reason it's called the "Silent Killer."It's estimated that one of every four people with hypertension don't even know they have it (3).You could be a serious health threat and not even know it.An asymptomatic condition, hypertension can be life threatening.A family history of hypertension will increase a person's risk.

The only way a person can find out if he has hypertension is to have his blood pressure taken.It's important to check your blood pressure regularly.

The number three myth of hypertension is that it's perfectly normal to have hypertension.

The fact is hypertension isn't perfectly normal.Despite the high number of Americans, 65 million, with hypertension, it is not normal (2).For those people 60 years and older, the risk of hypertension significantly increases (3).Hypertension, though not normal, is unfortunately becoming commonplace because of modern day lifestyles.Excessive alcohol, obesity, and increased salt are all causes of hypertension and have become mundane through the years, and in turn, more and more Americans have hypertension.

The only thing left to do

The only thing left to do is to realize knowledge is key when it comes to hypertension and your health.Learn everything you can about hypertension and its potential side effects.Join a support group, communicate in online discussion boards or chat rooms to ask the questions you may have or perhaps help others.Seek out options like dietary supplements.

(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypertension

(2) http://www.healthybloodpressure.org/ana/news/article2.html

(3) http://www.news-medical.net/?id=24579