Hypertension is the medical term for high blood pressure. Untreated hypertension increases the strain on the heart and arteries, eventually causing organ damage. Hypertension increases the risk of heart failure, heart attack (myocardial infarction) and stroke. Fortunately, treatments for hypertension are effective and usually easy to take.
Have a (healthy) heart!
How lucky we are! Our hearts are beating and doing their job without us even being aware of it – that is, until something goes wrong. The ideal is to [...]
Why eat less salt?
Most of us eat a lot more salt than we realise. We do need salt in our diets, but the daily recommended amount is only about one teaspoon in total. [...]
Pre-hypertension
Pre-hypertension is a condition where a person's blood pressure is elevated above normal but not to the level considered to be hypertension (high blood pressure). This means that you’re at [...]
FAQs about hypertension
These are the most frequently asked questions about hypertension. Question: What is hypertension? Answer: Hypertension is the term used to describe high blood pressure, which is measured by the force [...]
Hypertension and diet
The DASH (short for the Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension) clinical study proved that following a healthy eating plan, which involves redefining the serving size while not allowing yourself to [...]
Exercise and hypertension
Hypertension is one of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease. However, regular physical activity has been shown to reduce the risk of developing hypertension by 19 to 30%. Similarly, a [...]
What is hypertension? And how is it formed?
Blood pressure is the force exerted by your heart, against the resistance created by the arteries, to keep blood flowing through your body. Your blood pressure is high (hypertension) when [...]
Treatment for hypertension
Hypertension is the medical term for high blood pressure. Untreated hypertension increases the strain on the heart and arteries, eventually causing organ damage. Hypertension increases the risk of heart failure, [...]
Consequences of hypertension
Hypertension Centre Consequences of hypertension High blood pressure (hypertension) is dangerous because it makes the heart work too hard. It also makes the walls of the arteries [...]
Prevention of hypertension
If you have high blood pressure/hypertension, there is a good chance your doctor will advise you to adopt certain lifestyle changes to help keep blood pressure from rising. Individuals at [...]
High blood pressure – are you at risk?
High blood pressure (hypertension) is very common among all groups in Western societies. Ignoring the warning signs that you are at risk may prove to be fatal. Early warning signs [...]
Health and lifestyle risks: blood pressure
Ideally, your blood pressure readings should be 120/80 millimetres of mercury (mmHg). You're at low risk if it's 140/90, medium risk if it's 140 to 150/90 to 99 and high [...]