Understanding Hypertension?
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What is Hypertension?
Hypertension, the medical name given to high blood pressure, is defined in an adult as a blood pressure greater than or equal to 140 mm Hg systolic pressure and greater than or equal to 90 mm Hg diastolic pressure.
Put simply, when you have hypertension, the blood vessels become tight and constricted, forcing your heart to pump harder to move blood through your body. These changes cause the blood to press on the vessel walls with greater force. Over time, fatty deposits may build up along the walls and cause hardening of the arteries. This process is called atherosclerosis. The heart must work even harder to pump blood through these hardened arteries. Sometimes blood clots form on these narrow arteries, causing a heart attack or stroke.
A "silent killer," high blood pressure usually has no symptoms, yet it can lead to serious and even life-threatening problems if left untreated. The good news is that there are ways to manage hypertension.
So how can you tell if you have hypertension? The best way is to have your blood pressure checked yearly by a health care provider to ensure accuracy and to catch sudden rises early.
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