Hypertension Awareness Month (Blood Pressure)

May is Hypertension Awareness Month. It holds great significance for emphasizing how important it is to understand and control  blood pressure. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a significant health issue around the world and also in Canada. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly one in two adults have high blood pressure, and only one in four has the disease under control. It’s an essential risk factor for heart disease and stroke, yet it’s frequently undetected because there may be no indications of its presence. This blog will focus on providing an understanding of blood pressure, the main reasons for high blood pressure, how common it is in Canada, and ways of managing it well.

What is Blood Pressure & What Causes High Blood Pressure?

Blood pressure is the power of someone’s blood against their blood vessel walls. It results from the quantity of blood your heart pumps and the narrowness or resistiveness in arteries to let the flow happen smoothly. If you have more pumped-out blood from your heart and narrower arteries, it will increase high on its measurement scale for measuring this force – which we call “blood pressure.” According to the National Institute of Health, factors that can add to high blood pressure are genes, bad eating habits, not enough exercise, and ongoing health problems like diabetes or being too heavy.

Looking at Hypertension Statistics Canada

Hypertension statistics in Canada show a worrying situation, with many grown-ups having this condition and many not knowing they have it. The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada states that  almost eight million adults in Canada are affected by high blood pressure – about one in four, making it one of the most common conditions that affect the population. This highlights the importance of more knowledge and active handling of blood pressure issues.

Understanding the Cause of High Blood Pressure

The reason behind high blood pressure is usually complex and can be caused by various factors. It’s a combination of things like lifestyle choices and family history or genetics. Bad eating habits with lots of salt, fats, and calories are one possible cause leading to obesity. Stress along with drinking alcohol plus smoking might also play their parts in keeping the blood pressure levels higher than they should be; this shows how crucial it becomes for people to make changes across all aspects of life when dealing with hypertension.

Common Blood Pressure Concerns

People often worry about their blood pressure because it is a critical factor in preventing complications such as heart disease and stroke. Here, we address typical concerns and questions regarding blood pressure:

What are the Blood Pressure Treatments?

Treatments for blood pressure differ, ranging from changes in lifestyle like better diet and more exercise to using medicine. A doctor might suggest diuretics, beta-blockers, or ACE inhibitors according to your requirements.

How to Know if You Have Hypertension?

You can only confirm whether you have high blood pressure by regularly checking it. This condition is often referred to as the “silent killer” because it generally does not show any signs or symptoms, yet it carries serious health consequences.

Why is Knowing Your Blood Pressure an Important medicine?

If you are aware of your blood pressure, it allows you to understand more about your health and the choices that may affect it, according to the Mayo Clinic. This could help in avoiding severe health problems later on.

Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure

Ways to decrease blood pressure naturally include maintaining a healthy weight, lessening salt intake, doing routine exercises for heart health and stress control, and moderating alcohol consumption.

With the end of Hypertension Awareness Month, it’s a good time to remember the significance of frequent health checks and active control over blood pressure. If you feel worried about hypertension or need advice on managing blood pressure, Well Health Diagnostic Centres can assist you. Our group of health care experts is committed to offering thorough care and assistance for all your diagnostic requirements. Call us now to make an appointment for a consultation. It is time to start your journey towards better heart wellness