High blood pressure, or hypertension, occurs when the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your blood vessels is too high. This is a serious condition that, left untreated, can lead to problems such as heart attack and stroke. 

Even with its severe consequences, hypertension is quite common. The World Health Organization estimates that 1.28 billion adults worldwide have hypertension, and nearly 46% are unaware they have the condition. 

What causes high blood pressure? 

Some risk factors are unavoidable, such as age, family history, genetics race and sex. Other risk factors tied to high blood pressure relate to lifestyle, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Such risk factors include: 

• Eating unhealthy foods, especially foods high in salt and low in potassium. 
• Consuming too much alcohol or caffeine 
• Lack of physical activity 

• Smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke 

• Poor sleep habits 
• Experiencing high-stress situations 

• Diabetes 

• High cholesterol 

• Taking certain medications, such as antidepressants and decongestants 

High blood pressure is often known as a “silent killer” because many of its symptoms are undetectable. This has led to high blood pressure becoming one of the most common causes of premature death.  

That’s why living a healthy and active lifestyle is so important, and why February is designated as American Heart Month to raise awareness about heart disease and encourage people to take the right steps. 

“Heart health is, of course, essential throughout the year — but American Heart Month is a great time to focus on how we can be mindful of ways to promote cardiac health, from nutrition to exercise to medical screenings,” Kerri Stewart, Spartanburg Regional’s Heart Resource Center coordinator, said. 

Healthcare professionals also encourage routine blood pressure checks and a better understanding of blood pressure measurements. The chart below from the American Heart Association can help you understand what is considered high blood pressure. 

Keeping your blood pressure within a normal range is one of the best ways to prevent major health concerns, including heart attacks and strokes. 

Talk with your doctor about ways to stay heart healthy and maintain normal blood pressure. 

Spartanburg Regional’s Heart Resource Center can also help provide education on heart disease prevention and management.