Hypertension and heart attack are pretty popular health conditions. It is common to hear people say, “do you want to kill yourself with hypertension’’ or “You stress yourself a lot, don’t kill yourself with hypertension.” Well, all these are valid because both conditions can be life-threatening. Hypertension opens you to the risk of a heart attack. For this reason, it is essential to know how to manage hypertension.
Here, you will find out the essentials of managing hypertension to prevent a heart attack. Before then, it is only right to distinguish between high blood pressure, hypertension, and heart attack.
High blood pressure is a condition that damages the blood vessels and causes dire health issues. Elevated blood pressure causes high blood pressure. The normal blood pressure range reads 120/80 mm Hg or lower. Anything higher than these figures can be regarded as high blood pressure.
On the other hand, hypertension results from persistent elevated high blood pressure. Although hypertension is not curable, lifestyle changes and prescribed medications are common management measures.
Persistently high blood pressure can cause a blockage in the blood vessels. If this happens to vessels that supply blood to the heart, there is a great chance of having a heart attack. That is why you have to manage hypertension.
Managing Hypertension
Here are some practical tips to follow to help manage hypertension;
Monitor your numbers
To know if your blood pressure is in a safe range, check your blood pressure regularly. If your blood pressure is constantly high, check your numbers daily. Knowing your numbers can inform you of lifestyle changes to employ and monitor improvement.
Eat healthy food
Your diet is also key to managing hypertension. The food you eat can control your blood pressure. Make sure your diet has vegetables, fruits, low-fat dairy foods, and whole grains. These foods are rich in fibre and potassium. These two nutrients can help control your blood pressure. Avoid extra oily and foods rich in trans fats. Trans fat foods include baked foods, fried foods, margarine, and frozen pizza.
Maintain a healthy weight
To avoid a heart attack, put in the effort to lose weight. This is important in controlling high blood pressure. Losing about 2.2 pounds can reduce persistently elevated blood pressure levels by 1 mm Hg. Serve your meals in smaller portions and stay physically active to help control your weight.
Exercise and stay active
Exercising and working out have several benefits you should not miss. Exercising can help manage your stress levels, reduce your weight, limit your risk of several health conditions, and also help to lower your blood pressure. If you want to join the workout lifestyle, start with what you are comfortable with. However, stay consistent. Try brisk walking, swimming, jogging, cycling, and running on the treadmill.
Quit smoking
Smoking can harm your blood vessels. And this means that your blood pressure and heart are both at risk. If you find it hard to quit smoking cigarettes and other substances, speak with a doctor immediately.
Take your medications and speak to a doctor regularly
You must take your drugs regularly if you have been diagnosed with hypertension. This helps to keep change in check. Remember to always speak with a doctor on Doctall. The reason is that you need to stay abreast of your general health.
Take alcohol moderately
Whether you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure or not, alcohol can spike your blood pressure. Drink in small quantities if you have to.
Constant High blood pressure can lead to hypertension and, eventually, a heart attack. Nipping the symptoms in the bud and managing high blood pressure with lifestyle changes can improve your health and save your life. Speak with a doctor on Doctall if you notice symptoms or your numbers get high.