Just Found Out You Have High Blood Pressure? Here's What You Should Do Next

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More than 30 of adults across the world are affected by hypertension, making it a top cause of preventable deaths

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a major health issue that increases the risk of various other conditions, including heart attacks, strokes, and even death. According to studies, more than 30 per cent of adults across the world are affected by hypertension, making it a top cause of preventable deaths.

However, doctors say you can also manage multiple health factors together, which lowers these risks. By controlling these factors, you can reduce your chances of heart failure. A recent study, published in the journal Precision Clinical Medicine, has identified eight health factors that help lower the risk of death despite having high blood pressure.

What did the study find?

For the research, scientists followed up heart parameters of over 70,000 men and women with high blood pressure and recorded 6,466 early deaths. These included deaths from cancer, heart disease, and other causes. They found that those with better control over certain risk factors, like managing blood pressure, maintaining a healthy weight, and avoiding smoking, had a significantly lower chance of dying early.

Specifically, according to the study, the risk of dying early from cancer went down by 12 per cent, from heart disease by 21 per cent, and from other causes by 10 per cent.

The researchers found that as more health risk factors were well managed, people with high blood pressure experienced an even lower chance of dying early from all causes, including cancer and heart disease, compared to those without high blood pressure.

According to the study, even small improvements across key health areas can lower the risk of early death, helping you effectively manage hypertension. A few steps you can take include:

Make sure to regularly check your blood pressure, which helps ensure it stays within a healthy range – typically below 120/80 mmHg. You can reduce your daily intake of sodium and manage stress levels.

Healthy body weight

Even though BMI is not a helpful metric for everyone, experts recommend staying within a healthy weight range—by following a few lifestyle changes.

According to many studies, using waist circumference is among the best ways to gauge how much visceral fat you might be carrying. Keeping in control—around 88 centimetres or less for women and 102 centimetres or less for men—can help you keep fit and healthy.

Eat heart-healthy foods

A few healthy and nutritious foods like oats, nuts, and fatty fish help your cholesterol levels. By avoiding saturated fats, quitting sugar, and including more green vegetables and fruits in your diet, you can keep your blood pressure levels in control.

Drink lots of water

Hydration is the key when you want to stay fit and healthy.

If you smoke, seek support to quit.

Make sure to incorporate at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity every week—to enhance muscle mass and overall fitness.