The World Health Organization’s (WHO) data confirms that more than 1.1 billion people worldwide experience suffer from high blood pressure. It means almost 14% of global population endure this condition that adversely affects heart-related diseases, including heart attacks and strokes.
A review article, Hypertension and Stroke in Asia, published in Journal of Human Hypertension, revealed that the stroke mortality and prevalence of hypertension are on the rise in developing countries of Asia, including, India, China, Philippines, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Nepal.
What is High Blood Pressure?
High Blood Pressure, also known as Hypertension, is a condition in which the force exerted by your blood against the blood vessels is consistently higher than normal. Blood pressure is a combination of the following two measurements:
• Systolic blood pressure – the top number reflects the pressure in the arteries with every heartbeat.
• Diastolic blood pressure – the bottom number gives the pressure in the arteries between the beats.
The ideal blood pressure should be less than 120 over 80 (120/80).
A Brief History of High Blood Pressure
The term hypertension is relatively newer to mankind as the first published measurement of human blood pressure was taken in 1856. However, if you consult religious and medical scriptures of ancient times, it was a known clinical problem.
What Are the Causes of High Blood Pressure?
It is estimated that over 7.5 million people lose their lives annually due to high blood pressure – almost 13% of all death caused.
Here are the top ten reasons for high blood pressure:
1. Excessive smoking
2. Obesity
3. Increased salt intake
4. Alcohol abuse
5. Sedentary lifestyle
6. Family history
7. Lack of Potassium
8. Age factor
9. Stress
10. Certain chronic diseases
What Are the Signs of High Blood Pressure?
High Blood Pressure is a Silent Killer, as in most cases, you might not notice signs and symptoms. In some cases, the patients may experience one or multiple of the following symptoms:
• Blurred vision
• Severe headaches
• Breathing issues
• Fatigue and dizziness
• Nausea
