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High Blood Pressure


High blood pressure is also called hypertension, and it occurs when blood pushes against the walls of the arteries with higher-than-normal force. High blood pressure has no signs or symptoms and can lead to:

Cardiovascular Disease. If you have both diabetes and high blood pressure, your risk of heart disease doubles.

Kidney Damage. Diabetes can lead to kidney damage. High blood pressure speeds up the progression of kidney damage.

Eye Disease. People with both diabetes and high blood pressure have a higher risk of eye disease, or retinopathy.

Stroke. People with diabetes are twice as likely to have a stroke. People with high blood pressure are six times more likely to have a stroke. So people with both diabetes and high blood pressure are at significant risk of having a stroke.

Risk Factors Of High Blood Pressure

Many of the 1.4million people in the U.K. with Diabetes also have high blood pressure. Between 35 and 75% of all diabetes complications are caused by high blood pressure.

Age. The older you are, the more likely you are to develop high blood pressure.

Gender. In the early and middle adult years, more men have high blood pressure than women. But more women after menopause have high blood pressure than men of the same age.

Overweight. Being overweight can make you two to six times more likely to develop high blood pressure. And, 90% of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight.

Heredity. Some families are more likely to get high blood pressure than others. If your parents or grandparents have or had high blood pressure, you are at a higher risk.

Medications. Some over-the-counter medications can raise blood pressure, such as ibuprofen, cold medicine, appetite suppressants, and some medications used to treat depression.

Identifying High Blood Pressure

Since high blood pressure has no signs or symptoms, the only way to identify it is by having your blood pressure checked. This is a quick, easy and painless procedure. Your blood pressure is considered normal if it is below 140/90 mm Hg, but it's even better if your blood pressure is below 135/85. If your blood pressure is high, your doctor may recommend a series of additional blood pressure tests to determine whether you truly have high blood pressure.

Prevention Of High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure can't be cured, and even though it can usually be controlled, it's far better not to develop it at all. You can reduce your chances of developing high blood pressure by doing the following:

Maintain A Healthy Weight. As your body weight increases, so does your blood pressure. Being overweight can make you two to six times more likely to develop high blood pressure.

Be Physically Active. People who are physically active have a 20 to 50 percent lower risk of developing high blood pressure than people who are not active. Aerobic exercises such as walking, jogging, bicycling, and swimming are best.

Choose Foods Lower In Salt And Sodium. Cutting back on salt and sodium prevents blood pressure from rising. No one should eat more than about 6 grams of salt a day, which equals about 2,400 milligrams of sodium, or about 1 teaspoon of table salt.

Drink Alcohol In Moderation Or Not At All. Drinking too much alcohol can lead to high blood pressure. It's best to have no more than two alcoholic drinks a day.

Treatment Of High Blood Pressure

If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, your treatment will include the same things recommended in the prevention section above: lose weight if necessary, exercise, eat a healthy diet low in sodium and fat, and avoid alcohol. Your doctor may also prescribe medication to control high blood pressure. The type and amount of medication will depend on your specific situation


Last modified: 15/08/2008