HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

WHAT IS HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE?

 High Blood Pressure (or hypertension) refers to the pressure of the blood in the arteries. The heart pumps blood around the body through blood vessels. Blood pressure is the amount of force exerted on the artery walls by the pumping blood. high blood pressure means your blood is pumping with more force than normal through your arteries. 

This added stress on the arteries can speed up the clogging of arteries with fatty plaques (atherosclerosis), which can contribute to many other illnesses, such as heart attack and stroke. High blood pressure can also occur when the arteries become less flexible, which causes a build up of pressure in the body.

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 High blood pressure is a common disorder of the circulatory system, affecting around 1 in 7 adults and is becoming more common with age. High blood pressure usually has no symptoms. This means that most people don’t realise they have it, so it is important to get it checked regularly. 

RISK FACTORS FOR DEVELOPING HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

Some risk factors for developing high blood pressure include, age, family history of high blood pressure, being overweight, smoking, inactive lifestyle, and poor dietary habilts.

HOW CAN A DIETITIAN HELP?

 Leading a healthy lifestyle is one of the best ways to both treat and prevent high blood pressure and the good news is that a Dietitian can help! A dietitian can help you put in places various nutritional strategies can help you manage and prevent high blood pressure. 

We can work together to:

• Lower your blood pressure

• Create strategies to reduce your salt intake and improve the overall quality of your diet

• Liaise with your GP to come up with an appropriate treatment plan that meets your needs and health goals

A dietitian can help support you to make these changes! 

Contact asquith Doctors to book an appointment to see me today!