High Blood Pressure & Heart Disease

The blood is pumped into the arteries by the heart and transported to other parts of the body. When the heart beats, the force inside the arteries which pumps the blood is called blood pressure. If blood pressure increases too much and exceeds the limit, it causes complications and lead to heart problems.

In other words, blood pressure can be defined as the force of the blood that pushes through the arteries while passing through the body. Every time the heart beats, the blood is pumped into the arteries. When the blood pressure increases, it means that the pressure in the arteries is above normal that is also called hypertension.

Causes of High Blood Pressure and Heart Disease

Constant high blood pressure can lead to heart diseases. High blood pressure can be caused by either poor eating habits or lack of physical activity leading to high cholesterol level, blockage of arteries and enlargement of the heart.

High blood pressure and heart diseases need to be addressed immediately. Only if these conditions are taken care of on time, a patient can avoid further complications. Otherwise they can prove fatal and life threatening.

Facts about High Blood Pressure and Heart Diseases

• High blood pressure is one of the main causes of heart diseases. Coronary artery disease is the build up of the fatty matter in the walls of the arteries and it causes the arteries to narrow and passage of blood is blocked or limited.
• It can give rise to the formation of clots in the blood thus leading to heart attack.
• People with high blood pressure are more likely to have heart diseases as the extra pressure of the blood puts force against the arteries, with time this force can damage the arteries.
• Damaged arteries are unable to provide the required amount of oxygen to other parts of the body and thus when the blood reaches the heart late; it may lead to different problems.

Measuring Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is recorded as:

Systolic Blood Pressure

It is the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats and fills the arteries with blood.

Diastolic Blood Pressure

It is the pressure in the arteries when the heart rests between the beatings.

For a normal adult, blood pressure should be less than 120/80 mmHg. A systolic pressure between 120-139 and a diastolic pressure between 80-89 mmHg is considered as high and needs to be closely checked. Hypertension can be dangerous because if it persists, it can lead to heart diseases.

Preventing High Blood Pressure

It is possible to avoid high blood pressure by making some healthy changes to your diet and living an active life. Some of the tips for preventing high blood pressure include:

• Low salt intake in meals
• Low cholesterol and low fat foods
• Use of vegetables and whole grains like rice, pasta, bread and cereals
• Increased use of poultry and fish while reduction in intake of red meat as it contains more salts and cholesterol
• Use of aspirin and any other anticoagulant medicine to keep a steady flow of blood and avoid blood clotting that could cause high blood pressure
• Remaining stress free

All these tips can help you in preventing high blood pressure and in turn heart diseases. High blood pressure and heart diseases are connected in such a way that one disease can lead to another causing further complications. Thus, it is advised that you take proper measures to keep your blood pressure normal.