Hypertension

Take Control of Your Health With Help From WHMG

High blood pressure is also known as hypertension. This condition is dangerous because it makes your heart have to work harder to distribute blood throughout the body. Hypertension can also cause or contribute to complications such as hardened arteries / atherosclerosis, kidney disease, stroke, and heart failure. Normal blood pressure is below 120 / 80. If your blood pressure is above this range, you should speak with your doctor at Washington Health Medical Group about finding ways to remedy this.

Read more about high blood pressure on the pages below:

• Pulmonary Hypertension
• What Is High Blood Pressure?
• Controlling High Blood Pressure
• Your High Blood Pressure Risk Factors
• Taking Your Blood Pressure

Causes of High Blood Pressure

While we don’t know exactly what causes hypertension, we do know that some lifestyle factors and other conditions can play a role in the development of high blood pressure. Some people are more genetically predisposed to high blood pressure. It’s important to know if you have a family history of hypertension. Additionally, African-Americans are at a higher risk for hypertension, and men are at a higher risk as well.

Other non-genetic factors include:

• Heavy alcohol consumption; over one to two drinks per day
• Heavy sodium consumption
• Stress
• Old age
• Smoking
• Inactivity / sedentary lifestyle
• Kidney disease
• Thyroid disorders
• Sleep apnea
• Being obese / overweight