Hypertension or high blood pressure is one of the most dangerous conditions that is known to affect the mass population of India. Hypertension is called the “Silent Killer” because it can show very little to no symptoms at all, but cause serious damage to the heart and the arteries that might lead to death.
If left untreated, hypertension can increase the chances of lethal heart diseases and stroke. Hypertension has also shown signs to damage the kidneys and increase the risk of blindness and dementia.
And all this without a symptom!
As per some of the medical specialists in Kolkata, everyone is at the risk of suffering from high blood pressure considering their current schedule and the rat race. Therefore it is of prime importance to raise awareness and consciousness about high blood pressure and practice a livelihood that would not only keep us healthy but safe us from hypertension.
That being said, it is important for all to know what hypertension is before taking all the precautionary and preventive measures. Hence, given below are some of the factors or information that you should know about high blood pressure – the silent killer.
What is high blood pressure?
Blood pressure is known to be the force of blood pushing against the walls of arteries as and when the heart pumps blood. High blood pressure or hypertension is a disease that increases the pressure or force in which the blood flows through the blood vessels or arteries.
Blood pressure is measured mainly in two numbers. The top one is the systolic pressure and is the pressure that generates in your blood vessels when the heartbeats. The lower or the bottom number is called diastolic pressure and is the measure of the force of blood in your arteries when your heart is relaxed between two beats.
Know the numbers
The normal blood pressure count is 120/80 low as mentioned by the medical specialist in Kolkata. Your blood pressure can be considered high if the count reads 130/80 (Stage 1) or 140/90 or higher (Stage 2). In case the blood pressure count reaches 180/110 you must seek medical help immediately. A reading so high is called “Hypertensive crisis”.
It is always better to have a blood pressure below 140/85. However, in the case of co-morbidities like diabetes or renal failure, the blood pressure may get altered.
When the blood pressure goes high and causes symptoms of uneasiness, headache, palpitation and others, we term it as hypertensive urgency.
If the patient present with some complications like bleeding inside the brain, haemorrhage inside the eyeball, heart infarction, then it is also termed hypertensive urgency. In both the situation someone should get immediate medical attention, if physically not possible at least through Teleconsultation. But our aim is not to reach this stage, for that what we need to do to check with a general medicine doctor at the regular interval after the age of 40 and below 40 if there is a strong family history of cardiovascular disease.
Why be aware of hypertension?
Understanding the symptoms of early blood pressure or early detection of hypertension is of prime importance. Often called the silent killer, hypertension can lead to several diseases and damages that destroy your body completely and may even lead to an untimely death. One must always remember that high blood pressure can never be completely cured, however, it can be managed effectively by bringing in some healthy changes in lifestyle and seeking medical help as and when needed.
How to understand if you have high blood pressure?
The significant way to understand or detect high blood pressure is to test for it. With the advancement in technology testing for high blood pressure has now become quite easy and fast. Nevertheless, the medical specialists in Kolkata will never diagnose you with high blood pressure best on one reading. Approximately, 3 elevated readings are required to confirm if you are suffering from hypertension. But in several cases, you might have to wait for more readings to finally detect your condition.
You can consult with your doctor and use a blood pressure cuff at home to keep a tab on your blood pressure readings for a couple of days.
What are the symptoms of high blood pressure?
The initial stages of high blood pressure do not show any symptoms. If your blood pressure reaches a level that is extremely high you might experience the following –
- Difficulty in breathing
- Nose bleeding
- Severe headaches
- Irregular heartbeat
- Chest pain
- Vision problems
- Fatigue or confusion
- Blood in urine
How to manage blood pressure?
You can get in touch with a medical specialist in Kolkata to manage high blood pressure or hypertension. Timely treatment can help you keep the symptoms under control and prevent damage to your cardiovascular system. The common treatments may include a combination of the following –
- Monitoring – It is important to monitor your condition regularly so that you can understand the improvement of the treatment and to ensure that your blood pressure is in a healthy range.
- Lifestyle changes – The most effective way to manage blood pressure level is to bring in healthy lifestyle changes. Consider exercising regularly, losing weight if required, reducing salt consumption, quitting drinking and smoking, staying away from stress, eating healthy and practising in a nutrition-rich diet, relaxing and keeping yourself can help you lower your high blood pressure.
- Medication – In case your physician has prescribed medication consider taking them on time. The medicine may work in various ways and if you feel discomfort or irritation consult your doctor immediately.
That being said, are you suffering from hypertension?
If yes, it’s better to get it treated now.
With over 22 years of experience, Dr. Amitabha Saha has been treating hypertension quite effectively. Being one of the medical specialists in Kolkata, he can treat you the best way possible.