subject: High Blood Pressure and Stroke [print this page] High Blood Pressure and Stroke High Blood Pressure and Stroke
High blood pressure (hypertension) is among the first causes of stroke. Virtually 70% of all strokes are caused by high blood pressure, the statistics say. Moreover an individual with high blood pressure is four times a lot of doubtless to possess stroke than someone with healthy blood pressure.
Having browse the above, you almost certainly have at least a few questions ready in your mind. We tend to have tried to answer them below.
What's the blood pressure?
Blood pressure is the measurement of the force that the blood exercises over the arteries walls when passing through. If the blood pressure is high the blood is putting additional pressure to the artery walls.
What causes hypertension?
Hypertension is caused by numerous factors including an unhealthy diet (together with a heap of salt and fats), obesity, lack of exercise, smoking, stress, drinking abuse, drug abuse, high cholesterol, family history of cardiovascular problems, diabetes, gender (men are additional possible to suffer from high blood pressure).
Why high blood pressure may be a risk factor for stroke?
Hypertension has different effects over the human body. It will accelerate the effect of atherosclerosis (narrowing the walls of the blood vessels because of build-of fatty plaques). These plaques can be "thorn" off the artery walls and will block the blood provide to the brain and to cause a stroke. In addition chronic high blood pressure weakens the walls of the blood vessels which increase the risk of hemorrhagic stroke (caused by bleeding inside the brain). In alternative cases high blood pressure helps thicken artery walls due to the constant strain applied that reduces their flexibility and makes them fragile and easy to rupture. This could additionally result into a stroke.
What shall I do to stop stoke if I've got high blood pressure?
First of all ask your doctor to carry the specified tests and estimate the severity of the problem. He will prescribe you some medications that will normalise your blood pressure. If you have close relatives full of cardiovascular diseases and high blood pressure in particular, start creating regular checks early. One amongst the great dangers is that several people suffer from hypertension and don't even realise it - this is due to the actual fact that there are no symptoms at the begging. A healthy diet will greatly facilitate improve not only your overall health however the health of your cardiovascular system. A low-salt diet wealthy of fibres is great for this purpose. However check with a specialist and don't just apply a diet of your own. Try to cut back stress as much as possible. Quit smoking. Smoking is a stroke issue on its own and on the high of this it's among the chance factors for high blood pressure. The substances contained in cigarette smoke increase the blood pressure, increase the cholesterol levels and damage oxygen supply.
