Hypertension: The Silent Killer

High blood pressure (BP), or hypertension, is defined by two levels by the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines: (1) elevated BP, with a systolic pressure (SBP) between 120 and 129 mm Hg and diastolic pressure (DBP) less than 80 mm Hg, and (2) stage 1 hypertension, with an SBP of 130 to 139 mm Hg or a DBP of 80 to 89 mm Hg.

Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a condition where the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your arteries is consistently too high.

Why it's a problem:

High blood pressure puts extra strain on your heart and blood vessels, increasing your risk of serious health problems like:

Heart attack (Most deadly Complication)
Stroke (Ischemic or Hemorrhagic)
Heart failure (Later Complication)
Kidney disease (Irreversible Complication)

Risk factors:

Age
Family history
Race
Obesity
Unhealthy diet (high in salt, saturated fat)
Lack of physical activity
Smoking
Excessive alcohol consumption

Symptoms:

Often no symptoms, which is why it’s called the “Silent Killer.”

Diagnosis:

Regular blood pressure checks are essential.

Treatment:

Lifestyle changes (diet, exercise), medications (if needed)

Management of hypertension

Many guidelines exist for the management of hypertension. Most groups, including the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood (JNC), the American Diabetes Associate (ADA), and the ACC/AHA recommend lifestyle modification as the first step in managing hypertension.

Lifestyle modifications

JNC 7 recommendations to lower BP and decrease cardiovascular disease risk include the following, with greater results achieved when two or more lifestyle modifications are combined.
Weight loss (range of approximate SBP reduction, 5-20 mm Hg per 10 kg)
Limit alcohol intake to no more than 1 oz (30 mL) of ethanol per day for men or 0.5 oz (15 mL) of ethanol per day for women and people of lighter weight (range of approximate SBP reduction, 2-4 mm Hg)
Reduce sodium intake to no more than 100 mmol/day (2.4 g sodium or 6 g sodium chloride; range of approximate SBP reduction, 2-8 mm Hg)
Maintain adequate intake of dietary potassium (approximately 90 mmol/day)
Maintain adequate intake of dietary calcium and magnesium for general health
Stop smoking and reduce intake of dietary saturated fat and cholesterol for overall cardiovascular health
Engage in aerobic exercise at least 30 minutes daily for most days (range of approximate SBP reduction, 4-9 mm Hg)

Important

If you have high blood pressure, it’s crucial to follow your doctor’s treatment plan and make necessary lifestyle modifications.

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