High blood pressure may lead to heart, eye and brain damage. SingHealth Polyclinics (SHP) shares some tips on how to prevent it.
High blood pressure (hypertension) is a silent killer
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a silent killer that increases your risk of stroke, heart disease and other serious health complications if left unchecked.
Most people with high blood pressure feel normal (have no headaches or tightness in the neck, etc), even when their blood pressure is moderately high. Thus, many are not even aware that they have hypertension.
"This is why you should have your blood pressure checked at least once a year, and more frequently if you are on medication," says Dr Ian Phoon, Consultant from SingHealth Polyclinics (SHP), a member of the
SingHealth group.
High blood pressure (hypertension) in Singapore
Blood pressure measures how hard the heart has to work to pump blood through the arteries.
According to the Singapore National Health Survey (1998),
27.3% of Singaporeans between the ages of 30 and 69 years, suffer from hypertension.
Blood pressure (BP) readings are expressed as a ratio of the systolic pressure (the first number or numerator), over the diastolic pressure (the second number or denominator).
A
healthy blood pressure reading should be lower than 120/80 mmHg.
Normal blood pressure is less than 120 mmHg systolic and 80 mmHg diastolic, and may vary from 90/60 mmHg to 120/80 mmHg in a healthy young woman.
A blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg or higher indicates
high blood pressure.
To understand more about blood pressure readings, read this article.
If you have a home blood pressure set, you should check your blood pressure regularly, and record it.
Blood pressure varies throughout the day, and taking your pressure at different times will allow your doctor to see your average blood pressure. Show this record to your doctor at each visit.
10 reasons to keep your blood pressure in check
Here are the first five reasons:
1. High blood pressure can damage your arteries
High blood pressure exerts extra force on the artery walls. Over time, it can damage your arteries (blood vessels) and make them more susceptible to plaque (fatty deposits) buildup, a condition called
atherosclerosis.
The hardened and narrowed arteries will disrupt blood flow to various organs in the body. Think of it as a clogged sink.
2. High blood pressure can cause heart disease
Atherosclerosis causes arteries of the heart to thicken, blocking blood and oxygen supply to the heart muscles. You may experience chest pains or
irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias).
A heart attack occurs when blood clots completely block oxygen supply to the heart muscles. One out of three deaths in Singapore in 2011 was due to heart disease or stroke.
3. High blood pressure can damage your brain cells
Blood clots may cut oxygen supply to the brain cells. This causes the brain cells to die and stroke or dementia to occur. The bursting of arteries in the brain may cause bleeding in the brain, resulting in a
stroke.
4. High blood pressure can affect your eyesight
Uncontrolled high blood pressure causes the blood vessels in the eye to thicken and narrow, disrupting blood supply to the retina (the light-sensitive part of your eye – like a camera “film”). Blurred vision can result. The retinal veins may burst and cause bleeding in the eye.
If blood pressure remains untreated, these conditions, known as
hypertensive retinopathy, can lead to total vision loss.
5. High blood pressure (hypertension) can cause kidney failure
Ref: S13
Related articles:
Hypertension: Understanding Blood Pressure Ranges
High Blood Pressure: Top 5 Myths
High Blood Pressure: 5 Ways to Lower It Without Medication
3 Foods to Avoid to Prevent High Blood Pressure
4 Foods to Eat to Bring Down High Blood Pressure
How High Blood Pressure Affects Men and Women Differently
Pre-Hypertension: How to Know If You Have It
