Hypertension refers to a condition in which the force of the blood against the artery walls is too high. Usually hypertension is defined as blood pressure above 140/90, and is considered severe if the pressure is above 180/120. If untreated, it can cause health conditions, such as heart disease and stroke.

Hypertension is one of the most common chronic diseases and has devastating health effects. Sadly in most instances it is undiagnosed. Also, known as high blood pressure (BP), hypertension is a long-term medical condition that causes blood pressure in the arteries to remain elevated. Long-term high blood pressure is a major risk factor for stroke, coronary artery disease, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, peripheral arterial disease, vision loss, chronic kidney disease, and dementia.

In this blog our Kwali4u team shares with you some useful tips on the causes, and symptoms of hypertension plus recommended lifestyle changes. If you have been having questions about hypertension, then this blog is for you. 

In most cases, it's not clear exactly what causes hypertension, but there are things that can increase your risk. You might be more at risk if you are overweight, eat too much salt and do not eat enough fruit and vegetables, do not drink enough water, do not  exercise enough, drink too much alcohol or coffee (or other caffeine-based drinks), smoke, do not get much sleep or have disturbed sleep, are over 65, have a relative with high blood pressure, are of black African or black Caribbean descent and live in a deprived area.

Hypertension is called a "silent killer" because most people with hypertension are unaware of the problem. This is because it may have no warning signs or symptoms. For this reason, it is essential that blood pressure is measured regularly. When symptoms do occur, they may include:

• early morning headaches
• Nosebleeds
• irregular heart rhythms
• vision changes and buzzing in the ears
• nausea and vomiting
• confusion and anxiety
• chest pain and muscle tremors.

"We can't do anything about our age, but we can do something about our lifestyle," says Olugbenga Ogedegbe, MD, MPH, a clinical hypertension specialist. Taking a look at your lifestyle habits and deciding where you can make changes may help to prevent hypertension. 

To avoid a hypertension diagnosis or manage an existing condition, make these healthy lifestyle choices:

• Maintain a healthy weight
• Eat a balanced diet
• Cut back on salt
• Exercise regularly
• Limit alcohol
• Quit smoking
• Manage stress
• Monitor your blood pressure

If you are a confirmed patient with hypertension, we recommend that you stick to taking your prescribed medications accordingly to complement your lifestyle changes. It is also crucial to pay your GP a visit for an annual check-up and get one of the following tests performed:

• ECG - To check electrical activity in the heart
• Creatinine - To check protein levels in urine
• Cholesterol - To check the amount of fat in the blood

If you are a Kwali4u beneficiary or benefactor interested in visiting a GP for diagnosis or want to pay an annual visit to a GP, you can find a Kwali Partner (Healthcare Services Provider)  that’s closest to you here

To register as a Kwali4u Benefactor or beneficiary click here 

To Sign-up as a Kwali4u Partner click here 

We summarised the main points in this blog on the image below, for your ease of reference.

If you found this blog useful, then you might like several other Kwali Health Tip Blogs. Click here to read them all. 

To learn more about hypertension, follow the links below.

https://www.everydayhealth.com/hypertension/preventing.aspx

https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/prevent.htm

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/high-blood-pressure-hypertension/causes/