One common statement I hear after I ask people about their Blood pressure is: “Hypertension? Me, I don’t think so. I take life easy. How can my Blood pressure be high?”
This is because it is generally believed that overthinking/stress is what causes hypertension.
I will talk about this later on. But first, what is Hypertension?
Hypertension (High blood pressure) is a health condition in which the blood vessels have a consistently raised pressure. ideal blood pressure is between 90/60mmhg and 120/80mmhg.
Blood pressure (BP) is considered high when it is 140/90mmhg or higher. That said, one high BP reading is not enough to diagnose Hypertension. There needs to be a pattern of high BP readings over 2 or 3 BP checks for a diagnosis of Hypertension to be made.
Most times, the exact cause of Hypertension is not known. There are factors that can increase the risk of having it though. Stress/Poor sleep is one of them. Others include Family history, Smoking, being Overweight, Taking too much salt or alcohol, or coffee, advancing age, and little physical activity.
Sometimes, health conditions like Diabetes, Hormonal problems, and Kidney diseases can cause Hypertension. Now, I must point out the real danger of Hypertension: Many times, it doesn’t show any symptoms. That’s why it’s called the Silent Killer.
Have you heard of people who looked like all was well, then they suddenly collapsed and died? There’s a good chance that they were hypertensive and did not know.
Hypertension puts pressure on major vital parts of the body and, if not treated, can lead to conditions like Stroke, Kidney diseases, and Heart failure.
It is important for every adult to check their BP regularly (especially if you are over 40 years old).
Personally, I recommend checking it at least once a year if you don’t have hypertension. If you have any of the risk factors I mentioned earlier, then you need to pay particular attention to your BP.
In Nigeria, many pharmacies can check for BP for you. Better still, you can buy the electronic BP kit and keep it in your home. It just might save a life someday.
