High blood pressure is the silent companion of a quarter of the Brazilian population. As it usually has no symptoms, it causes damage that will only be noticed later. Therefore, it is important to know how it settles in the body, what its symptoms are and how you can identify it.
To begin with, it is important to pay attention to some signs that can arise when blood pressure is high, remembering that they do not appear in all people:
* Dizziness
* Pain in the back of the head or back of the head
* nausea
* Blurry vision
* Palpitations
To understand how the body arrives at these reactions, it is also necessary to understand how blood transport works in our cardiovascular system. Imagine a system with larger or smaller caliber pipes. When the volume of water suddenly increases or when one of the pipes becomes clogged, the pressure in the others increases. Visualize, then, the vascular system: our arteries continually receive the blood pumped by the heart; they carry this blood throughout the body, distributing it through smaller "pipes" such as capillaries.
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When blood is pumped by the heart and flows through the arteries, they are at their maximum tension, the so-called systolic pressure. When arteries decrease tension, waiting for the next pump of blood, they remain under diastolic pressure. It is an uninterrupted alternation. The two types of pressure are expressed in numbers: the one considered optimal is in the range of 120x80 mmHg (millimeters of mercury), a measure popularly known as 12x8. High blood pressure is above 140 x 90mmHg (14x9).
Pressure changes happen when there is too much fluid in the body, when the heart is not pumping blood properly, or when the arteries are weakened, with some obstruction or loss of elasticity. These are conditions that develop gradually and cause very serious damage: hypertension is directly or indirectly linked to half of the cases of death from cardiovascular disease in Brazil. It is also a risk factor for kidney problems.
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The causes of high blood pressure vary as much as its consequences. There are internal causes, that is, that we cannot change, such as genetic inheritance and age, and external causes, which can be changed, such as weight, sedentary lifestyle, stress, smoking, alcoholism, and bad habits at the table, especially excessive consumption of salt. That is, if you have a family history of the disease or if you fit into one of the other factors, you already know that you need to investigate even without feeling anything different: it is worth looking for a doctor or measuring your blood pressure regularly, according to the recommendation of the healthcare professional.
In addition to getting information from a doctor about your blood pressure, it is worth rethinking day-to-day habits, especially eating habits. And, of course, cigarettes and excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages should be crossed off your map. The new attitude must also include a routine of physical activities. These changes alone are capable of doing wonders for your health, not only physical but mental.
Don't have time? Rethink your schedule and make yourself a priority. Consider walking, biking, playing ball, swimming, wrestling, and dancing. Let go: your pressure will thank you.
