High Blood Pressure
What is high blood pressure?
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a condition when the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your blood vessels is consistently too high. In a healthy adult, the blood pressure level is 120 over 80 (120/80mmHg). At this level, the chances of getting heart disease or having a stroke are quite lower. You are diagnosed with hypertension if your pressure is higher than normal; precisely 140/90 mmHg (millimetres of mercury) or higher.
What causes high blood pressure?
There are various factors that can increase your risk of getting the condition. You may be at higher risk of developing high blood pressure if -
- You are overweight or obese
- You are above the age of 65
- You have a family history of hypertension
- You have too much salt and inadequate fruit and vegetables
- Lack of adequate exercise
- High consumption of alcohol
- Addicted to smoking
Can hypertension be fatal?
High blood pressure results in increased pressure on the walls of the heart. Over a period of time, it causes cardiovascular disease (including increased risk of having a heart attack or a stroke).
If you do not take the necessary measures to reduce your blood pressure, it can result in:
- Stroke: when the required amount of blood to a part of the brain is reduced
- Cardiac arrest: when the blood supply to the heart is suddenly blocked due to clogged arteries
- Aneurysm: when a blood vessel wall bursts causing internal bleeding
- Embolism: where an air bubble or blood clot or blocks the flow of blood
Hypertension can also damage the small vessels in your kidneys and prevent them from working correctly, causing side effects such as
- Tiredness
- Being short of breath
- Swollen feet, hands and ankles
- Blood in your urine
- Urinating more often, usually at night
How can you manage high blood pressure?
At Pharmacy Planet, you can buy various prescription medication such as Bendroflumethiazide or Sotalol online in UK to maintain your blood pressure at optimum levels. Bendroflumethiazide is a diuretic and is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). It helps to maintain the build up of fluid levels in your body. These diuretics are also called 'water pills' because they increase the output of urine and help get rid of excess fluid in your body.