Did you know that hypertension is a major cause of death among children? The answer is yes because hypertension affects not only adults but also children. Therefore, if you give birth to a hypertensive child and are interested in seeking medical help, cardiology New York, NY is the solution to all your concerns. The health care providers are qualified and have always encouraged you and your child to have your blood pressure monitored to prevent premature deaths. They also educate you on the risk associated with hypertension, giving you a better understanding of your condition. Below is all you are required to know concerning hypertension.

What is hypertension?

Hypertension is a medical condition that refers to elevated blood pressure. Blood pressure is a unit of measurement for the force needed for the blood to circulate all over your body. Normally, it is written in two numbers, systolic and diastolic pressure. Systolic is the pressure recorded in your blood vessel when your heart beats, while diastolic pressure is the pressure in your blood vessels when your heart is resting in between beats. You are diagnosed with hypertension when your systolic blood pressure is equal to or greater than 140mmHg or when your diastolic pressure is equal to or greater than 90mmHg.

What is the cause of hypertension?

Elevated blood pressure can be due to an underlying health condition like kidney disease, or it might develop slowly over the years because of living an unhealthy lifestyle. The following also increases your risk of hypertension, inadequate diet, smoking cigarettes, obesity, excessive alcohol consumption, high-salt diet, inactivity, or chronic stress. Cigarette smoking is one of the leading causes of hypertension because its chemicals destroy your artery walls, increasing your risk of suffering from atherosclerosis.

What health complications does hypertension cause?

When you have hypertension, your body tends to work harder to ensure blood is pushed through the blood vessels. The extra pressure cause damage to your arterial walls. The rough surfaces formed due to damage made to the walls of your arteries allow cholesterol to adhere and stick on the wall forming a hardened plaque. The plaque narrows your artery leading to atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis hence causes peripheral artery disease and coronary artery disease.

Generally, most people are not aware that they have hypertension until they are tested for it because it rarely causes obvious symptoms unless the blood vessel is severely blocked. In this case, you start experiencing pain, especially when blood is forced through the blocked vessels. Of importance to note is that if a pick of the plague breaks from the arteries, it can lead to stroke, pulmonary embolism, or heart attack.

How is hypertension treated?

In most cases, if you have hypertension, your health care provider recommends lifestyle changes such as reduced stress, exercise, diet, and quitting smoking to lower your risk of developing severe complications. You might also be prescribed some anti-hypertensives to lower your blood pressure.

Untreated and unmanaged hypertension can result in severe complications like a heart attack. Therefore, if you are diagnosed with hypertension and are interested in continued care, you can start by calling or booking your appointment online at CHW Cares.