High blood pressure affects millions of people across the nation. It’s a common health concern that can lead to a number of serious health complications, including stroke and heart attack. Understanding what high blood pressure is, the risk factors and ways to effectively manage it can help save lives.

High blood pressure, also referred to as hypertension, occurs when your blood vessels constrict and your heart pumps blood with too much force. Uncontrolled hypertension can damage your blood vessels, heart, and other organs, leading to health problems.

High blood pressure can be caused by many things, such as poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking, and family history. Other factors, such as genetics, gender, age, and ethnicity may also play a role in how it affects a person.

There are steps you can take to lower your risk of hypertension. Keeping active, eating a healthy diet, limiting alcohol intake, and quitting smoking can all help reduce your risk. If these steps don’t work, you may need to be prescribed medication to control your blood pressure levels.

It’s also important to know the signs and symptoms of high blood pressure, so that you can recognize it and take action as soon as possible. These include headache, shortness of breath, fatigue, and nausea. If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s important to see your doctor right away.

If you’ve been diagnosed with hypertension, there are things you can do to manage it. Eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and taking medications as prescribed can help to combat high blood pressure. Additionally, reducing your stress levels, limiting alcohol intake, and quitting smoking can help to reduce your blood pressure and keep it under control.

High blood pressure is a serious health risk, but it’s something that can be managed with the right lifestyle and treatment plan. By recognizing the signs and symptoms of hypertension, making changes to your lifestyle, and taking prescribed medications, you can help to keep your blood pressure under control.