Five Misconceptions About Hypertension!

Hypertension, commonly known as high blood pressure is a condition where the force of blood against the walls of your artery is high. If left untreated, this can lead to diseases like heart attack and stroke.

Having proper knowledge about hypertension is necessary to prevent the condition. You can start educating yourself by clearing these common misconceptions.

• High blood pressure cannot be prevented as it runs in the family

If you have a family history of hypertension, you are likely to develop it too. However, there is no reason to think that you cannot prevent it. Many people have can avert hypertension by altering their diet and lifestyle, even though the condition runs in their family.

• My blood pressure is under control as one number in the reading is normal

In a blood pressure reading, the top number is called systolic blood pressure - the force of blood in your vessels during a heartbeat. For this, 119 mmHg or below is normal.

The other number called diastolic pressure is the force of blood in your vessels between heartbeats. 79 mmHg or below is considered normal.

Systolic blood pressure may increase as you age and diastolic pressure may drop. Therefore, you have to consult with your doctor if either of your readings is consistently outside the normal range.

• I won’t have high blood pressure as I don’t have common symptoms like sweating and sleeping difficulties.

This is not entirely correct as many people have high blood pressure for years without knowing, as the condition does not always reveal symptoms. So keep a check on your readings and do not assume anything beforehand.

• After being diagnosed with hypertension, I have been maintaining lower readings. I can stop my medication now.

Hypertension can be a lifelong ailment, so it is best to consult your doctor before stopping your medication. Even if you have normal readings, you may have to continue your medications all throughout your life.

• I use sea salt or kitchen salt while cooking instead of regular salt, which is very healthy

Kitchen salt and sea salt have 40% sodium – the same as table salt. So regardless of the salt you use, the amount of sodium you consume will be identical.

Do not fall for these misconceptions while treating high blood pressure. Consult a doctor and take the necessary steps to keep your hypertension under control. Also, regularly monitor blood pressure to avoid the risk of any health complications.