High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a serious health threat, and it's far more common than you might think. By age 40, more than half of Americans have high blood pressure, and many are completely unaware. Dubbed the "silent killer," this condition often shows no symptoms, and you can't feel the pressure building in your blood vessels. If left untreated, it can be deadly.
High blood pressure isn't just a concern for your heart; it's a danger to your entire body. It's a leading cause of heart disease, the number one killer of men and women in the U.S. It also significantly raises your risk for kidney disease, stroke, and even dementia. The reason is simple: high blood pressure can damage the tiny, delicate blood vessels in your brain, which is directly linked to a decline in cognitive function.
New Guidelines, Earlier Action
The American Heart Association now recommends earlier treatment, emphasizing that the sooner you act, the more you can protect yourself.
Under new guidelines, doctors now recommend starting with lifestyle changes when your systolic blood pressure—the top number—exceeds 130 mm Hg. These changes include:
- Engaging in regular physical activity is a powerful way to significantly lower your blood pressure.
- A low-sodium diet: This can be challenging, as ultra-processed foods, which are high in salt, make up a large portion of the American diet.
- Limiting alcohol consumption.
- Stress reduction: Practices like meditation, yoga, or deep breathing can help.
If lifestyle changes aren't enough, or if your blood pressure is already dangerously high (140 mm Hg or higher), your doctor may recommend starting with medication right away. In fact, for people with a blood pressure over 140/90 mm Hg, two medications may be more effective than one at reaching a healthy range.
Why It’s Hard to Stay on Track
Even with a clear understanding of the risks, over half of those with hypertension don't succeed in lowering their blood pressure to the target range of 120/80 mm Hg or below. This is often due to several challenges, including
- Side effects: Some people experience unpleasant side effects from medications.
- Hesitancy to take medication: As George Solomon's story shows, it's easy to be reluctant to take a pill when you "feel fine." But at 63, his untreated high blood pressure led to a stroke, a life-altering event that convinced him to embrace a healthier lifestyle and medication to prevent another.
- Lifestyle changes can be a real struggle, as making lasting changes to your diet and exercise habits requires a lot of effort and commitment.
The Future of Treatment
There are several effective medications for hypertension already on the market, including diuretics, ACE inhibitors, and calcium channel blockers.
However, many people still struggle to get their blood pressure under control. Researchers are exploring new options, including a drug called baxdrostat that targets a hormone called aldosterone, which helps regulate fluid and sodium in the body. A recent study found that this drug was effective in lowering blood pressure in people who were already taking two or three other medications. Dropping your systolic blood pressure by just 10 points is linked to a significant 20% reduction in your risk of heart attacks and strokes. This new treatment could become a powerful new tool in the fight against a widespread health crisis.
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