Facts & Myths About High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure has a number of risk factors, but are also preventable in a number of ways, which include, but are not restricted to, Maintaining a healthy weight (by healthy eating and regular exercise), limiting salt intake, decreasing alcohol and tobacco intake and preventing stress build-up.

High blood pressure is often referred to as a 'silent killer', as there are no clear signs or symptoms of knowing when your blood pressure might be high. Also, one abnormal reading does not imply high blood pressure. Sustained high readings over a period of time imply high blood pressure.

High blood pressure, or hypertension can greatly damage the heart and brain. It increases chances of coronary artery disease by diminishing blood flow through the arteries (as the arteries are narrowed). This also results in decreased blood flow to the brain, leading to dementia.

The major causes for high blood pressure include increased intake of salt, obesity and lack of physical exercise. However, there are several other uncontrollable factors, such as age (especially those above 65 years of age), genetics (previous family members afflicted with high blood pressure levels) or ethnicity (more common among Africans and South Asians) that also act as essential contributing factors towards high levels of blood pressure.