Capital District Times

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a condition where the force of blood against artery walls remains consistently high. This can lead to severe health issues such as heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, and even dementia. Many individuals with hypertension experience no symptoms.

“Hypertension is a silent killer—a patient has no idea that there is an issue, but their body is enduring significant damage,” stated Rachid Daoui, MD, chief of the Division of Nephrology at Saratoga Hospital.

Typically, adults discover they have high blood pressure during routine health screenings or unrelated medical visits. In most cases, it develops gradually over years due to plaque accumulation in the arteries that causes narrowing.

Certain medications like pain relievers, cough medicine, and birth control pills can also elevate blood pressure. Health conditions may contribute as well.

The risk of developing high blood pressure increases with age or if there is a family history of the condition. Lifestyle factors such as excess weight, lack of exercise, tobacco or alcohol use, excessive salt intake, and insufficient potassium are significant contributors. Stress may temporarily raise blood pressure; however, stress-related habits like overeating, smoking, or drinking alcohol can exacerbate the problem.

“While you cannot control all the factors that contribute to high blood pressure, most people can reduce their risk by making healthier choices: move more, eat fewer foods high in sodium, don’t smoke,” advised Dr. Daoui. “Most importantly, you need to have your blood pressure checked especially if you are at higher risk.”

For those diagnosed with high blood pressure, treatment often involves lifestyle changes combined with medication aimed at relaxing blood vessels or reducing heart rate and excess water and sodium from the body based on overall health status.