What Are the Health Risks of High Blood Pressure?

According to the National Institutes of Health, as many as one in three people has high blood pressure, a condition that can damage the organs and cardiovascular system. High blood pressure can be reduced with simple diet and exercise changes, but some high blood pressure cases may require medication for safe management of the condition.

Identification

• Blood pressure is a measurement of the force of the body's blood pressing against the walls of the arteries. High blood pressure occurs when a person's blood pressure is higher than normal ranges.

Types

• Types of blood pressure include diastolic and systolic pressures. Normal diastolic blood pressure is up to 80 mmHg, and normal systolic blood pressure is up to 120 mmHg. The measurement mmHg stands for millimeters of mercury, the unit of measurement used to gauge blood pressure.

Effects

• High blood pressure can cause damage to the circulatory system, including veins and arteries, leading to stroke and coronary heart disease.

Considerations

• Advanced age, vitamin deficiencies, diabetes, kidney failure and a sedentary lifestyle place a person at a higher risk of bodily damage from high blood pressure.

Prevention/Solution

• According to the National Institutes of Health's guide to high blood pressure, those who drink heavily can reduce blood pressure by reducing alcohol use by half . Stress reduction and anger management techniques also are effective in significantly reducing high blood pressure.

Medications

• Taking blood pressure medication can reduce your risk of high blood pressure related to cardiovascular disease. According to the National Institutes of Health, types of medications prescribed for high blood pressure include diuretics, alpha-blockers and calcium channel blockers.