May marks the month of blood pressure awareness. Some may not know what the literal definition of blood pressure is. When nurses come to take blood pressure measurements in the doctor’s office what they’re measuring is the force of blood pushing against blood vessel walls. Many people don’t know how important blood pressure is to the human body. Maintaining a healthy blood pressure aids the heart to work with minimal hindrances. A heart is like a water pump that continuously pumps blood throughout the entire body. If a person has high blood pressure (hypertension), it causes the heart to work harder to circulate the blood to the body which could lead to serious health risks.

“High blood pressure can cause heart and organ problems,” states Northeast High School Nurse Myrna Stanard RN. The most common problems reported with diagnosed hypertension include increased risks of heart disease, heart failure, heart attacks and strokes. All risks can easily lead to death. Obviously, a healthy blood pressure is something one would want to obtain.
People with high blood pressure can try to bring it down with a few simple lifestyle changes. Eating healthier and exercising more are the two main changes that will help lower blood pressure. Even something simple like getting up early, eating a healthy breakfast, and going on a walk can be beneficial and bring positive results. Other ways to get rid of hypertension is to quit smoking if the patient is a smoker and reduce the stress levels by learning how to slow your thoughts and taking a deep breath every now and then. Reducing blood pressure is important to living a healthy life.

Unfortunately for some, not everyone can reduce their blood pressure with these simple things. Due to genetics passed down from earlier bloodlines, some people can naturally have high blood pressure. These people have to be extra careful in making lifestyle decisions. If all else fails for them, some refer to medication they have to take their whole lives to keep their blood pressure at a safe level.
Hypertension affects many people in the United States. All people diagnosed are at an increased risk for heart and other organ failure. It is of the utmost importance for patients to make lifestyle changes to maintain a blood pressure that is healthy for them.