There are many myths concerning the impact of high blood pressure that affects nearly 85 million adults in the United States. It is important to know the facts about high blood pressure and how it impacts your overall health.
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High blood pressure can be deadly.
It is important to take a diagnosis of high blood pressure seriously, because if left untreated it can lead to a deadly heart attack or stroke which are the two leading causes of death among the United States population, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Even a small elevation in your blood pressure increases the risk of death due to heart failure among certain ethnicities. Your chances of dying increase if high blood pressure is left untreated and unmanaged for those under the age of 60. High blood pressure does not exhibit any symptoms so it is important to visit your doctor regularly to have your blood pressure checked. One in six people are not aware that they have high blood pressure, which is often called the “silent killer.”
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Lack of sleep can increase chances of getting high blood pressure.
If you are not getting enough sleep at night, and sleeping consistently less than six hours a night, you can either make your existing high blood pressure worse, or put yourself at risk of getting it. You also put yourself at a higher risk for diabetes and early death.
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What you eat may make a big difference in your risk for high blood pressure.
A diet that is high in salt can have an adverse impact on your health and lead to higher blood pressure. It is important to have a healthy diet consisting of fresh fruit and vegetables and lean meats. Bananas are a great heart healthy choice and can help lower blood pressure.
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Treating high blood pressure may become expensive.
High blood pressure when left untreated may lead to high medical expenses for you. Medication and missed work days due to complications from high blood pressure costs the nation about $46 billion a year.
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Schedule regular appointments with your doctor.
Even if you do not have symptoms, it is important to have regular check-ups with your doctor. Seeking treatment may be life-saving if you are noticing anything unusual, such as shortness of breath, chest pains, a severe headache or nose bleed, or vision problems.
Source: www.cheatsheet.com, “These Are the Facts You Need to Know About High Blood Pressure, by Sheiresa Ngo, July 19, 2017
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