10 Points To Remember About High BP (Hypertension)

• It is a silent killer. It causes damage slowly over several years and most of the time, by the time you develop symptoms, the irreversible damage is already set in & you are left with a miserable & short life.
• Normal BP consists of systolic (upper) and diastolic (Lower) component. The normal range of systolic can be 100 to 140 and a normal range of diastolic is 65 to 85.
• High BP, if associated with other problems like diabetes & high cholesterol is more damaging. In such cases, control of diabetes & high cholesterol also becomes very important.
• Medicines prescribed to patients for high BP are to be taken for long periods and are decided by your doctors. Each patient will need different medicine according to his body composition. So consult a qualified physician or a cardiologist for proper prescription.
• Lifestyle modification like salt restriction, weight control and exercise are must for all patients of high BP. Plenty of fruit, vegetable are recommended. Potassium-rich fruit especially citrus fruit, Banana, Coconut water are very rich in potassium. Avoid deep fried & salty food like chips, Pickles, Papad, table Salt, Bhujia, etc.
• Ideal BP is the one which does not affect your internal organs. So get your kidneys, heart & eyes checked for changes due to high BP. If they are getting affected, means your BP is not under control & you need to control it in more aggressive ways by addition of more drugs & by improving your lifestyle further.
• It affects vital organs like heart, Kidneys, Brain, and Eyes at the same time. In heart, it causes thickening of the heart muscle, heart blockages, and heart failure. In Kidneys, it causes shrinkage & kidney failure. It can cause sudden death by massive brain hemorrhage (Bleeding in the brain). Eyes can develop retinal damage causing impaired vision & in advanced cases even blindness.
• For patients with changes of high BP in various organs, kidney problem, heart problem or diabetes, BP should be preferably 110/70.
• Get your BP checked at least once in a year even if you have no symptoms but if you are a known patient of high BP, it should be checked at least once a month when under control and daily if it is not under control.
• Medicines for BP are very safe even if taken for several decades. Discuss with your doctor if a particular medicine is not suitable for you. There are so many options in medicine, your doctor can choose a medicine from another group. The need for each individual of high BP is different and only 80% respond to a particular group of medicine in others you need to change the group.

Remember high blood pressure, if not treated properly can lead to many dreaded complications like brain hemorrhage & paralysis. It is important to consult with the doctor if you are having a high BP.