You may not feel it, but high blood pressure, or hypertension, could be silently harming your health.
“You think you’re healthy, but in reality, hypertension puts significant stress on multiple organ systems, including your heart, brain and kidneys,” says Dr. Kevin Rabii, DO, cardiologist at Memorial Hermann Medical Group (MHMG) Memorial City Cardiology. “Ultimately, it leads to problems throughout your body. And as a heart doctor, it’s one of the most common conditions I see.”
In fact, heart disease, stroke, hypertension and hypertensive kidney disease combined killed over 800,000 Americans last year alone. That’s more than the second and third top causes of death (cancer and accidents) combined, reports the National Center for Health Statistics.
“It’s hard to convince someone to take action or medicine when they feel fine,” Dr. Rabii says. “But our goal is to prevent heart attacks and strokes—even vascular dementia—down the road.”
That’s why it’s crucial to be aware of the warning signs and symptoms.
Having healthy blood pressure when you were younger isn’t a lifetime guarantee.
Hypertension is a progressive disease, which can worsen over time. “As we age, our arteries tend to stiffen, which ultimately leads to high blood pressure,” Dr. Rabii says. “The higher the pressure, the greater the stress on not only blood vessels, but also the surrounding muscles. There are many side effects.”
The heart muscle can be overtaxed as it pumps out blood and oxygen to fuel the entire body. That burden can damage vessels and spike your chances of having heart failure, heart attack and stroke.
Hypertension also can be caused by other risks:
- Excess weight
- Smoking
- Inactivity
Some people can have high blood pressure for no apparent reason. In certain cases, genetics or family history are to blame. Hormonal factors also can affect blood pressure, Dr. Rabii says, but these do not apply to everyone.
High blood pressure starts in childhood.
Half of adults over 30 have hypertension—and about half don’t know it, according to the World Health Organization.
The onset age of hypertension is dropping as obesity and inactivity rise in youth, Dr. Rabii says. “The unhealthier we’re becoming as a population, the more we’re seeing high blood pressure at younger ages,” he says.
Like you, your kids’ risk of hypertension increases if they spend too much time at a desk or as a couch potato. When planted in front of a TV, laptop or cell phone after school, they most likely aren’t as active as you were in childhood.
You may or may not have symptoms.
You may notice symptoms of hypertension but only when it’s very high. Then, common signs include headaches, confusion, chest pain, palpitations, heart pounding and shortness of breath.
Your sleep habits may indicate signs of hypertension.
Snoring can be linked to high blood pressure—even in those who are at their ideal weight. And snoring can be a sign of sleep apnea, a condition that occurs when breathing repeatedly stops and starts.
“You don’t necessarily have to be overweight to have sleep apnea,” Dr. Rabii says. “And treating sleep apnea is very important.”
He says that whenever he sees a person with unexplained high blood pressure, “I ask if they’ve been told that they snore or briefly stop breathing. A sleep specialist can monitor your sleep and tell if you have sleep apnea.”
You may be getting false blood pressure readings.
A single yearly blood pressure reading at your annual checkup isn’t enough. Get a device to read your blood pressure at home regularly. Your primary care physician can recommend where and what to buy. But keep in mind that “the way you check your blood pressure is very important,” Dr. Rabii says.
For accurate readings, you should stay still and not talk for at least five minutes and have both feet on the floor and your arms resting on a table. Having your legs crossed or rushing about prior to taking your blood pressure might impact your reading.
Also, take multiple readings, ideally at different times of the day, and check your blood pressure at least a couple of times each week.
And when you do see your primary care physician, bring your blood pressure cuff from home to compare its results to the doctor’s device. “That way you can confirm that it’s accurate if you get the same readings for both,” Dr. Rabii says.
Though readings tend to be higher in the morning, some people can have higher blood pressure later in the day. “I recommend occasionally checking it in the morning and at night, because you may find it’s good at one time but not necessarily the other,” he says.
One glass of wine each night is too much.
“Ideally, less alcohol is better in regard to blood pressure,” Dr. Rabii says. “I would limit yourself to a few drinks a week.”
While salt increases blood pressure, the saltshaker on the table isn’t the biggest problem.
“Packaged, canned and processed food is more concerning,” Dr. Rabii says. “They tend to be the highest sources of salt.”
That also includes soups or bags of chips. “Typically, table salt does not contribute a huge amount. It’s really the packaged foods, fast foods or eating at restaurants,” he says.
Healthy guidelines suggest 2,000-2,500 mg or less of salt per day.
Eating fresh food—especially at home—is good for your blood pressure. “But it’s very hard to track the amount of salt you’re eating,” Dr. Rabii says. “So, limit anything that’s packaged, boxed and canned. And be very cautious at fast food places and restaurants, because their food can be significantly higher in salt, sugar and fat than when you’re making your own food at home.”
You don’t have to struggle alone.
“The cornerstone of losing weight and managing blood pressure is you and your primary care doctor,” Dr. Rabii says.
Losing weight also can be easier when it’s “a team sport, with the coaches you need to succeed.”
Besides your physician, your team could include a registered dietitian, personal trainer and support group. In some cases, your physician may refer you to a high blood pressure specialist.
Lowering blood pressure is do-able by yourself.
Changing lifestyle habits on your own can help—and you can start small, Dr. Rabii says. “Getting more exercise and physical activity will help you lose weight, as will drinking less alcohol and reducing salt intake,” he says.
Losing weight also will reduce your risk of diabetes, a major contributor to many health issues.
What can you do to get moving?
- Go outside with your kids, and you’ll all benefit in multiple ways. Even a 10-minute walk or briefly shooting hoops not only will burn calories but also can spark conversations.
- Limit TV, laptop and cell phone time, and set an hour when the family (that includes you) will retire such devices for the night.
- Over time, build up to a half hour of cardiovascular activity three to five days weekly.
- If you add strength training, you’ll build muscle and bone. You might join a gym or use water bottles at home as weights. Make it a family activity, and train two to three days a week, with a day of rest between each session.
- Flexibility and balance can help you avoid injury and stiffness.
If your blood pressure remains high despite efforts by you and your doctor, what's the answer?
“Medication is then our main treatment,” Dr. Rabii says.
New techniques also can be used to treat hypertension, such as renal denervation, a minimally invasive procedure to disrupt nerve signals of arteries supplying blood to the kidneys.
“But mostly high blood pressure is managed with medication,” Dr. Rabii says. “That’s the best option for getting it under control.
“Usually, medications will make the difference. And that difference can save your life.”