With that being said, research³ does show that although you can live a long life, it may be five to seven years shorter than those without high blood pressure. Some potential causes⁴ of this shorter life expectancy include smoking and obesity.
Left undetected or uncontrolled, high blood pressure can lead to: Heart attack — High blood pressure damages arteries that can become blocked and prevent blood flow to the heart muscle. Stroke — High blood pressure can cause blood vessels that supply blood and oxygen to the brain to become blocked or burst.
Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to disability, a poor quality of life, or even a deadly heart attack or stroke. Treatment and lifestyle changes can help control high blood pressure to reduce the risk of life-threatening complications.
If you have high blood pressure, focus on aerobic activities as these will help your heart and blood vessels most, but avoid activities which put too much strain on your heart.
Excessive daytime sleepiness or tiredness is a symptom sometimes associated with high blood pressure, and it has been shown to be a potential warning sign for cardiac events. 2 High blood pressure may also be linked to tiredness in other ways, such as sleep disturbances.
Seek emergency care if your blood pressure reading is 180/120 or higher AND you have any of the following symptoms, which may be signs of organ damage: Chest pain. Shortness of breath. Numbness or weakness.
A hypertensive crisis is a sudden, severe increase in blood pressure. The blood pressure reading is 180/120 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) or greater. A hypertensive crisis is a medical emergency. It can lead to a heart attack, stroke or other life-threatening health problems.
Unfortunately there is no cure for high blood pressure currently, but you can take steps to manage it even without medication. Here are 7 ways to lower your blood pressure naturally: Exercise! Regular exercise is great for your overall well-being, and it can also help with lowering your BP.
Alcohol/Caffeine2,6,9– Alcohol and caffeine (sodas, coffee, tea, etc) consumption causes systolic blood pressure levels to temporarily increase 5 to 10 mmHg so stay away from alcohol/caffeine at least 30 minutes before having a blood pressure measurement taken.
In other words, once blood pressure rises above normal, subtle but harmful brain changes can occur rather quickly—perhaps within a year or two. And those changes may be hard to reverse, even if blood pressure is nudged back into the normal range with treatment.
(HealthDay)—Tighter control of high blood pressure may add years to people's lives, a new study estimates. Researchers calculated that for a typical 50-year-old with high blood pressure, more aggressive treatment could translate into three extra years of life.
Call 9-1-1 immediately if any of these signs of stroke appear: Numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg; Confusion or trouble speaking or understanding speech; Trouble seeing in one or both eyes; Trouble walking, dizziness, or problems with balance; severe headache with no known cause.
Blood pressure is mostly a silent disease
Unfortunately, high blood pressure can happen without feeling any abnormal symptoms. Moderate or severe headaches, anxiety, shortness of breath, nosebleeds, palpitations, or feeling of pulsations in the neck are some signs of high blood pressure.
High levels of stress can lead to a temporary increase in blood pressure. Stress-related habits such as eating more, using tobacco or drinking alcohol can lead to further increases in blood pressure. Certain chronic conditions.
When symptoms do occur, they can include early morning headaches, nosebleeds, irregular heart rhythms, vision changes, and buzzing in the ears. Severe hypertension can cause fatigue, nausea, vomiting, confusion, anxiety, chest pain, and muscle tremors.
What causes high blood pressure? High blood pressure usually develops over time. It can happen because of unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as not getting enough regular physical activity. Certain health conditions, such as diabetes and having obesity, can also increase the risk for developing high blood pressure.
Your blood pressure is considered high (stage 1) if it reads 130/80. Stage 2 high blood pressure is 140/90 or higher. If you get a blood pressure reading of 180/110 or higher more than once, seek medical treatment right away. A reading this high is considered “hypertensive crisis.”
When you arrive at the ER with high blood pressure, the first thing your physicians will do is try to bring your blood pressure down. Typically, this is done with either oral or intravenous medications.
Blood pressure has a daily pattern. Usually, blood pressure starts to rise a few hours before a person wakes up. It continues to rise during the day, peaking in midday. Blood pressure typically drops in the late afternoon and evening.
A new study conducted in Japan found that the need to urinate in the night, called nocturia, may be linked to hypertension and high salt intake.
While there is no cure for high blood pressure, it is important for patients to take steps that matter, such as making effective lifestyle changes and taking BP-lowering medications as prescribed by their physicians.