High Blood Pressure & Hypertension Prevention

Hoag’s Jeffrey M. Carlton Heart & Vascular Institute is all about delivering more for those who need cardiovascular care in Orange County.

Read on for what you need to know about High Blood Pressure, including symptoms, causes, risk factors and more. And if you need advanced care for hypertension in Orange County, there’s just no place like Hoag. Contact us today through our online form or by calling 949-764-5871.

What is High Blood Pressure?

High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is a medical condition which involves elevated pressure within the circulatory system.

Blood pressure is the force exerted on blood vessel walls as the heart pumps blood. Over time, blood pressure can become elevated due to a variety of conditions, lifestyle factors and other issues.

In those with high blood pressure, the heart is forced to work harder to circulate blood and provide nutrients and oxygen to the body. Over time, that can lead to a variety of serious health conditions.

High blood pressure is often a contributing factor in heart attacks, chest pain, heart failure, heart disease, strokes, chronic kidney disease, kidney failure and other issues, and can even contribute to blindness and some forms of dementia.

That said, there are effective treatment options that can lower blood pressure in most cases, including medications, eating a heart-healthy diet and developing other healthy lifestyle habits.

What are the Symptoms of High Blood Pressure?

High blood pressure (hypertension) is often called “the silent killer” because most people with uncontrolled blood pressure do not experience any symptoms at all, even when their blood pressure is at dangerously high levels.

In some cases, however, people do experience symptoms of high blood pressure. Often, these symptoms appear when a person’s blood pressure has become so elevated it’s at a severe or life-threatening stage. They include:

• Headaches

• Shortness of breath

• Nosebleeds

In most cases, the only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to have your blood pressure checked regularly.

How Often Should I Get My Blood Pressure Checked?

The answer depends on several factors, including your age and whether you have issues that put you at greater risk of high blood pressure. Issues that can increase your risk of developing high blood pressure include being overweight, having a family history of high blood pressure, eating a diet high in carbohydrates and fats, not getting enough exercise, smoking tobacco and other factors.

In general, adults between the ages of 18-39 at average risk for high blood pressure should have their blood pressure checked at least every three to five years. Those over 40 or younger people who have risk factors for hypertension should have their blood pressure checked at least once a year.

Pregnant women should also have their blood pressure checked regularly, as there is a risk of developing preeclampsia, a condition that causes high blood pressure during pregnancy, usually after the 20th week of gestation.

What Do the First and Second Numbers in a Blood Pressure Reading Mean?

Blood pressure is a measurement that shows how much force is being exerted on the arteries as the heart contracts and relaxes to push blood through the body. A blood pressure reading is usually expressed as two numbers, like 120/80, which might be spoken aloud by a health care provider as “one-twenty over eighty.” Each number represents pressure in millimeters of mercury (mmHg).

The first number is known as systolic blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure is a measurement of the pressure exerted on the walls of the arteries during a heartbeat, when the heart contracts to push blood to the body.

The second number is diastolic blood pressure. Diastolic blood pressure is a kind of “resting” measurement, revealing the pressure exerted on the walls of the arteries as the heart relaxes between two beats.

What is Considered a Normal Blood Pressure Reading?

What’s considered a normal blood pressure reading for adults varies, but is generally considered less than 120/80 mmHg. If the average over two or more readings is 130/80 mmHg or higher, you may have high blood pressure.

Usually, blood pressure measured at 180/120 mmHg or higher is considered life-threatening and a medical emergency.

What are the Different Types of High Blood Pressure?

In general, there are two main types of high blood pressure:

Primary High Blood Pressure: Also called essential hypertension, this type of hypertension often develops without a known cause, then progresses slowly over many years.

Secondary High Blood Pressure: Secondary hypertension occurs when an underlying medical condition causes a person’s blood pressure to become elevated. This type of high blood pressure tends to appear suddenly, and usually causes higher blood pressure than primary hypertension.

What Causes High Blood Pressure?

The causes of elevated blood pressure levels can vary from patient to patient. Some cases develop for no known reason at all, may be caused by lifestyle factors you can change, or due to issues that are unavoidable no matter how physically healthy you are.

Lifestyle factors that may contribute to or cause high blood pressure include:

• Eating an unhealthy diet that includes too many carbohydrates and saturated fats.

• Eating too much salt. Learn more about high blood pressure and salt intake from the American Heart Association.

• Being inactive and not getting enough exercise

• Using tobacco products

• Excessive stress

• Obesity

• Excessive alcohol intake

• Using illegal stimulants, including methamphetamines and cocaine

Other factors that can contribute to or cause secondary high blood pressure may include:

• Genetics, as those with a family history of high blood pressure are more likely to have hypertension

• Having certain medical conditions, including diabetes, kidney disease and thyroid issues

• Renal artery disease, which is a condition in which the arteries that supply the kidneys become narrowed by plaque. Learn more about renal artery disease from Hoag.

• Congenital (present at birth) heart defects

• Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which is a condition in which a person stops breathing in their sleep

• Certain medications, including birth control, decongestants and certain pain relievers

What Are the Medical Complications of High Blood Pressure?

Taking the steps necessary to keep your blood pressure in a normal range is very important to staying healthy, as uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to a range of serious health problems and complications.

Medical issues that can be caused or worsened by uncontrolled high blood pressure include:

• Narrowed arteries and damage to the artery walls

• Kidney disease, including kidney failure and scarring of the kidneys

• Heart failure

• Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), in which a substance called plaque builds up on the arteries that supply blood to the heart

• Heart attack and sudden death

• Vision issues and blindness due to damage to the blood vessels in the eyes, damage to the optic nerve

• Stroke

• Erectile dysfunction

• Aneurysm, which is a bulging spot in an artery wall that can potentially rupture, with life-threatening consequences

• Transient ischemic attack (TIA), which is caused by disrupted blood flow to the brain

• Dementia and other cognitive impairments

What are the Risk Factors of High Blood Pressure?

There are several factors that can increase your risk of developing high blood pressure. Risk factors for high blood pressure may include:

• A family history of high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, heart attack or heart failure

• Being overweight or obese

• Not getting enough regular exercise and being physically inactive

• Having diabetes

• Having high cholesterol

• Eating a diet with too much salt, fat, cholesterol and carbohydrates

• Being older

• Having high stress levels

• Drinking too much alcohol

• Using tobacco

Is There Any Way to Reduce My Risk for High Blood Pressure?

Some cases of high blood pressure have no apparent cause, so there’s no known way to definitely prevent yourself from developing high blood pressure.

There are, however, known ways to reduce the risk of developing hypertension and the serious health problems it can cause, or to lower your blood pressure if you have been diagnosed with hypertension. These include:

• Making lifestyle changes, including getting regular physical activity

• Get regular blood pressure checks

• Eat a healthy diet low in carbohydrates, sugar and saturated fats

• Maintain a healthy weight

• Control your stress levels

• Don’t use tobacco

• Drink alcohol in moderation

• If you’ve been diagnosed with hypertension, follow your doctor’s advice exactly, including taking any prescribed medication

Worried About Your High Blood Pressure? Orange County Trusts Hoag.

At Hoag’s Jeffrey M. Carlton Heart & Vascular Institute, we treat high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, stroke and other issues related to the heart.

Hoag’s advanced programs are changing lives by helping patients right here in Orange County.

From managing high blood pressure to advanced, robotic-assisted valve repair, Hoag is at the heart of innovation for cardiovascular treatment in Orange County. Contact Hoag today through our online form or by calling 949-764-5871.