Effects of High blood pressure and cholesterol: How they affect the Heart

Effects of High blood pressure and cholesterol. Blood pressure is preventable and all the preventive measures to be embraced for better health

The heart is one of the organs of the body that is very sensitive and plays very vital role in the body. A healthy heart is an indication that other organs which depends on its proper functionality are actually operating well. Despite being that important, it is very vulnerable to several attacks that hinder its abilities to function as is expected. Some of the attackers may include high blood pressure and high cholesterol among many others. For the purpose of this article, we want to center our discussion on the effects of high blood pressure and cholesterol. We spoke to doctor Dalal Akoury about these two factors and she is sharing with us some of the known effects of this tow to the heart. High blood pressure isn’t usually something that you can feel or notice, but if you have it you’re more likely to develop coronary heart disease or have a stroke says doctor Akoury. The best way of ascertaining whether you have high blood pressure is to have it measured. Doctor Akoury says that it is very important that people should get to know their blood pressure. It is very unhealthy to wait until you are sick for you to visit your doctor to determine your blood pressure. In fact health professionals recommends that people of 40 years and above should get their blood pressure taken periodically as part of health check up to assess their risk for getting cardiovascular disease.

Effects of High blood pressure and cholesterol: Blood pressure and High blood pressure

One may wonder if there is any different between blood pressure and high blood pressure. If you are wondering then you are at the right place and in a moment you are finding out the difference. Blood pressure is the pressure or force of blood in your arteries the vessels that is charged with transporting the blood from the heart to the brain and to the rest of the body. For this role to be effectively done, the body needs adequate pressure or force to push the assignment successfully throughout the body systems. The pressure of the blood flowing through your arteries is regulated with your heart beats (in other words they change as your heart beats). The pressure in your arteries will be at its highest when your heart is contracting and pumping blood around your body and lowest as it relaxes while it fills with blood before pumping again. That explains what blood pressure is, nonetheless high blood pressure also known as hypertension means that there is no fluctuation in the blood pressure. The blood pressure remains at a certain high point than it is recommended. Expert says that high blood pressure is not something that you can feel or notice easily. Nonetheless if this is not addressed in good time, it can cause an enlargement on your heart making your heart to be less effective in pumping the blood to the various parts of the body. This is what in many cases result in a condition known as heart failure.

Effects of High blood pressure and cholesterol: Heart attack and Stroke

Having high blood pressure increases your chances of having a heart attack or stroke. Even though this is a life threatening condition, it is regrettable that no proper reason is given as to how high blood pressure is caused. However it is believed that the following can play a part:

• Luck of adequate physical activity
• Being overweight or obese
• Having too much salt in your diet
• Alcohol abuse
• Having a family history of high blood pressure.

Prevention is always the best and therefore if you are not having high blood pressure, living a healthy lifestyle is very important as it is one of the best ways of preventing this problem from occurring in the future.

Effects of High blood pressure and cholesterol: How does my General Practitioner know I have high blood pressure?

Like we had said before, this is measurable and your doctor will do just that. If your blood pressure is 140/90mmHg or higher you will probably have to have this rechecked several times. It is necessary to note that everyone’s blood pressure varies during the day. Some people have a condition known as ‘white coat hypertension’ or ‘white coat syndrome’. This is a condition where your blood pressure rises only because someone is taking your blood pressure, and not because you have an underlying medical problem. If you have white coat hypertension, your blood pressure will return to normal when your doctor or stops taking it. It can be very difficult to diagnose and this is why you may need to have your blood pressure rechecked several times, or you may be sent home with a 24 hour blood pressure monitor for the same reason.

Effects of High blood pressure and cholesterol: What do the numbers mean?

If you have been to a health institution for high blood pressure measurement, you must have noticed that every blood pressure reading consists of two figures or measurements shown as one number on top of the other and measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg). If your reading is 120/80mmHg for example, you might hear your doctor or nurse saying your blood pressure is 120 over 80. The interpretation of the figures is that the top figure represents the highest level your blood pressure reaches when your heart contracts and pumps blood through your arteries – your systolic blood pressure. An example might be 130mmHg. The second (or bottom) number represents the lowest level your blood pressure reaches as your heart relaxes between beats – your diastolic blood pressure. An example might be 75mmHg. Not unless stated otherwise the human blood pressure should be below 140/90mmHg.  But as for those struggling with heart or circulatory disease the recommended blood pressure should be below 130/80mmHg.

Effects of High blood pressure and cholesterol: What can I do to reduce my blood pressure?

Finally if it has been established that you have high blood pressure, then it would be advisable that you consider changing your lifestyle and engaging in healthy physical activities, losing weight, reducing the salt content in your diet, cutting down on alcohol and eating a balanced, healthy diet. In the event that you have done all these and still the high blood pressure persists, then you may need to consult with your doctor for professional advice to help you reduce the risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

Effects of High blood pressure and cholesterol: How they affect the Heart