Hypertension Facts- What is hypertension?

High blood pressure, which is also clinically known as hypertension, is blood pressure that is higher than normal (less than 120/80 mmHg).

Welcome to Jen The Medical Writer’s blog. If you are new, thanks for joining. Today we are looking at hypertension. There are so many persons being affected by this silent killer and are not sure what exactly it is. In this post, we will look at hypertension. If you have questions or comments, leave them below. Let’s get into it!

High blood pressure, which is also clinically known as hypertension, is blood pressure that is higher than normal (less than 120/80 mmHg).

High blood pressure, which is also clinically known as hypertension, is blood pressure that is higher than normal (less than 120/80 mmHg). Blood pressure is the force that the blood exerts on the arterial walls as it passes through the arteries on its way from the heart. Your blood pressure changes throughout the day based on your activities. Having blood pressure measures consistently above normal may result in a diagnosis of high blood pressure (CDC, 2020).

As common as hypertension is (studies show that approx. 1 every 3 Americans received a diagnosis of hypertension), it may be hard to accept this diagnosis. As most times, it comes totally out of the blue. The typical question of every patient who received a hypertension diagnosis is, “Why me?”. Some might be startled as they have no history of high blood pressure in their immediate family, or they pay attention to what they eat and exercise.

Persons might develop no symptoms at all for a long period or they might develop symptoms that do not immediately bring hypertension to mind, such as headaches, fatigue, or vision problems. This is why doctors and medical personnel refer to hypertension as “the silent killer”. Living with hypertension, however, is not hard. Don’t get us wrong; hypertension is a serious condition that can lead to severe complications and possibly be life-threatening.

But, if it gets treated and lifestyle is improved, maintaining a good quality of life is absolutely not impossible. Regularly taking prescribed medications, developing healthy eating habits, and staying fit will definitely help you control your high blood pressure and reduce its consequent risks.

Remember to always speak to your healthcare provider before undertaking any form of management.

Originally published at https://www.jenthemedicalwriter.com on April 8, 2021.