What You Need to Know about High Blood Pressure
By Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, affects almost half of American adults. It increases the risk of heart attack and stroke and contributes to decreased quality of life. But since hypertension often has no obvious symptoms, many people may not be aware of their high blood pressure until it becomes severe. In fact, 1 in 5 adults with high blood pressure do not know they have it.
In addition to medication and routine doctor visits, diet and lifestyle changes can play a large role in the management of high blood pressure.
The following sections detail the causes, signs and symptoms, and complications associated with high blood pressure. Plus, this post includes tips for dietary interventions and other important suggestions for preventing and managing hypertension.
Definition of Hypertension
Blood pressure is a measurement of the pressure that circulating blood exerts against your blood vessel walls, produced by the heart contracting. Systolic blood pressure, the first number in a blood pressure reading, is the measurement of blood pressure when the heart beats. Diastolic blood pressure, the second number in a blood pressure reading, is the measurement of blood pressure between heart beats. Blood pressure is measured in mm Hg, which stands for millimeters of mercury.
Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mm Hg. Elevated blood pressure (not yet “high”) falls between 120 and 129 mg Hg systolic blood pressure and less than 80 mm Hg diastolic blood pressure. Here are the criteria for high blood pressure:
Hypertension stage 1: 130-139 mm Hg systolic or 80-89 mm Hg diastolic
Hypertension stage 2: 140 or higher mm Hg systolic or 90 mm Hg or higher diastolic
Hypertensive crisis: 180 or higher mm Hg systolic and/or 120 mm Hg or higher diastolic
Typically, doctors diagnose high blood pressure after more than one reading that indicates hypertension. They may perform other tests to confirm the diagnosis, and their treatment recommendations will depend on the range of blood pressure readings. For instance, elevated blood pressure is usually managed with diet and lifestyle changes, while later stages of hypertension may warrant medications.
Causes
Hypertension usually develops over time and may be influenced by a combination of factors. Here are some of the risk factors for hypertension:
Family history
Aging-associated changes to kidney function and other bodily processes
Race or ethnicity
Non-Hispanic Black adults are more likely to develop high blood pressure than those of other races or ethnicities.
Overweight and obesity
Diabetes
Poor diet
Overconsumption of alcohol
Smoking
Chronic stress
Lack of exercise
When a medical condition leads to high blood pressure, it’s called secondary hypertension. Kidney disease, thyroid problems, obstructive sleep apnea, and pregnancy are some of the causes of this type of high blood pressure.
Signs and Symptoms
High blood pressure is usually a silent condition with no overt symptoms. This is one of the reasons why individuals who have hypertension may not be aware. It can take years for high blood pressure to lead to obvious symptoms, and the first indication of symptoms may be a fatal event of stroke or heart attack.
Severe hypertension may lead to these symptoms, which require immediate medical attention:
Headaches
Shortness of breath
Vision problems
Chest pain
Blood in the urine
Nosebleeds
To prevent high blood pressure from going unnoticed and reaching the point where it causes severe symptoms, it’s vital to have regular blood pressure screenings. Stay on top of scheduling annual visits to your primary care doctor so that they can monitor your blood pressure. If your blood pressure readings are elevated, you may be advised to measure your blood pressure at home. Self-monitoring blood pressure is a very quick and easy process that allows you identify problems before they become severe.
Complications
High blood pressure causes stress and damage to arteries and organs, including the heart, brain, and kidneys. As a result, hypertension increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. When the arteries are damaged, blood flow to the heart decreases and results in heart disease, angina, heart attack, and heart failure. When arteries supplying blood and oxygen to the brain are damaged, it can lead to stroke. Individuals with unmanaged hypertension are also at risk of developing chronic kidney disease.
Common Treatments
Medications and diet and lifestyle changes are used in the treatment of high blood pressure. The exact recommendations vary from person to person and depend on the severity of the hypertension.
Some of the drugs used to treat high blood pressure include:
Beta-blockers
Calcium channel blockers
ACE inhibitors
Diuretics
These medications have a variety of mechanisms for preventing high blood pressure. Your doctor will consider your medical history and the factors contributing to your hypertension to figure out the best medication for you.
In many cases, individuals with high blood pressure are able to manage their condition with diet and lifestyle changes alone. These interventions often require consultation with a registered dietitian, goal-setting, and frequent monitoring of blood pressure readings to evaluate their effectiveness. It’s helpful to have the support of family and friends when making diet and lifestyle changes.
Dietary Interventions
Blood pressure can be largely influenced by food choices. So, dietary interventions for this condition are aimed at addressing diet-related risk factors. For example, these nutrition recommendations promote weight loss, blood sugar management, and reduction of sodium intake. Overweight and obesity, uncontrolled diabetes, and overconsumption of sodium can all contribute to high blood pressure.
One of the most effective styles of eating for reducing blood pressure is the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet. This diet is intended to be flexible and realistic and emphasizes consumption of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, and nuts.
Other aspects of the DASH diet include cutting back on added sugars and reducing sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg per day or 1,500 mg per day for those with high blood pressure. In addition, the DASH diet encourages consumption of foods that are rich in potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Increasing intake of these minerals, while limiting sodium consumption, is thought to promote healthy blood pressure. Check out our blog post for information about implementing the DASH diet.
Finally, cutting back on alcohol consumption can be particularly beneficial for managing hypertension. Experts suggest no more than two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women. Limiting alcohol intake to less than these recommendations may be even more helpful in lowering blood pressure. For reference, a standard drink is equal to 12 ounces of beer, 4 ounces of wine, 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits, and 1 ounce of 100-proof spirits.
Lifestyle Changes
When combined with dietary interventions, adopting a healthy lifestyle is very helpful in blood pressure management. Here are the main recommendations for managing hypertension:
Quit smoking. Ask your healthcare provider for resources that can help you with this process.
Get active. Aim to get 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on at least 5 days per week. Don’t skip warming up, and be sure to ease into increasing the intensity of your exercise. For more tips on developing an exercise routine, see this blog post.
Manage stress. Take time to relax and handle the stress in your life. Here are some great tips for implementing stress-reducing techniques.
Get quality sleep. Poor sleep can lead to negative health outcomes and may worsen stress. Read through this post for tips on improving sleep hygiene.
The Bottom Line
Hypertension is a serious condition that affects millions of Americans. It’s incredibly important to monitor and treat high blood pressure to prevent potentially fatal complications. Fortunately, there are several diet and lifestyle changes that are effective for maintaining healthy blood pressure. If you are concerned about hypertension, speak with your healthcare provider about the many available resources that can help. Being forewarned is forearmed!
Note from Healthy For Life Meals: Our meal plans are closely aligned with the DASH diet and nutrition recommendations for lowering blood pressure. Get started with our healthy meal delivery service today to enjoy nutritionally balanced meals that feature plant foods, lean proteins, and healthy fats and do not exceed sodium and sugar recommendations.