The circulatory system transports blood to different parts of the body. This makes the heart one of the most critical parts of a fully functional and healthy body. But just like most parts of the body, the heart and most of the circulatory system also react to external stimuli. The heart rate can rise if one’s fight-or-flight response kicks in since the body pumps more blood to essential motor functions. This can also result in the sudden rise of blood pressure in most individuals.
Contrary to what most people think, blood pressure is a natural part of the body. But just like other parts of the body, too much of something can lead to health complications. This is especially true when it comes to high blood pressure. A variety of factors causes hypertension, but most experts would say that a sedentary lifestyle causes and contributes to this.
There are millions of individuals around the world that have hypertension. In the United States, hypertension is a significant public health problem for decades. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would say that 45% of the population has uncontrolled hypertension. With these statistics in mind, there’s a good chance that someone you know might have hypertension.
With millions of individuals of patients suffering from hypertension, patient management is integral to success. Suppose you’re working in a cardiology clinic and managing patients with hypertension. In that case, it might seem challenging having to manage thousands of patients at once, especially with the prevalence of this health condition in the country. Fortunately, you won’t have to look far since a cardiology EMR and EHR software can help keep track of patients, data, and documents.
So how do we effectively manage hypertension? What are some of the stages of hypertension that you need to be mindful of? Here are some important things that you need to consider.
Stages of Hypertension
But before getting into some preventive measures for high blood pressure, the stages of hypertension should be discussed. This is especially important in monitoring our health. The normal reading in this scenario is around 120/80 mmHg. But just because some readings might go over this threshold does not mean that you automatically have hypertension. There are a variety of external and mental factors that can also affect your reading.
Here are some of the categories of hypertension that you might want to keep a lookout for.
- Prehypertension— This usually happens when the blood pressure is slightly elevated. But this doesn’t mean that you have hypertension since this is only an early sign. During this stage, blood pressure measures around 120/80 to 129/80 mmHg. At this stage, most people don’t feel any symptoms. It’s only after they have reached stages 1 and 2. Fortunately, you won’t need any form of medication. However, you need to start making lifestyle changes.
- Stage 1 Hypertension — This is the first stage of hypertension. Compared to the previous location, your blood pressure might fall between 130/80 to around 139/80, and you might experience symptoms. During this stage, you need to have a particular medication since diet won’t be enough. There is also an increased risk of diabetes and stroke.
- Stage 2 Hypertension — This level of hypertension requires medication and professional help as soon as possible. If you don’t have any history of heart disease or other comorbidities, you might be prescribed blood pressure-lowering agents. Although you are taking medication, having the right diet and exercising regularly is still paramount in this stage.
Preventive Measures to Take
So what are some ways of preventing hypertension? Most health experts would say that making lifestyle changes as early as possible is one of the best ways of preventing hypertension. Focusing on exercises that can help your cardiovascular muscles improve. You can out for and avoid fatty, salty, and greasy foods to prevent worsening your condition. You might also want to start eating low-calorie and low-fat alternative food.
It’s also known that constantly being exposed to stressful environments can cause hypertension. The body produces a surge of hormones when it’s stressed. That said, it’s important to manage your stress by taking a break once in a while.
The circulatory system is the literal beating heart of the body. Although there might be times when people are having a bad day at work and stressed over some situations, it’s still important to manage their hypertension. This kind of management has one goal in mind: lowering blood pressure. Fortunately, there are various relatively simple ways to address hypertension and get to your target blood pressure.
Still, it’s vital to keep in mind that preventing a health complication is more effective than curing it. Hypertension is a gradual condition that can be prevented with a healthy diet and having a more active lifestyle, among other things. Keeping your blood pressure under control can help you live a better life. Take the necessary steps to ensure you stay healthy.