The blood pressure we often talk about is actually the short form of arterial blood pressure in the body circulation. Blood pressure is the pressure that acts on the walls of the blood vessels when the blood flows inside the vessels, and it is the driving force for the blood to flow inside the vessels. Depending on the blood vessels, it can be further divided into arterial blood pressure, venous blood pressure and capillary blood pressure. Blood pressure measured in daily life generally refers to arterial blood pressure.

Arterial blood pressure can be divided into systolic and diastolic pressure, which is often referred to as high pressure and low pressure. When the heart contracts, blood flows from the ventricles into the arteries of the pressure generated by the systolic pressure, the blood pressure on the blood vessels at this time is the largest, so it is also called “high pressure”; ventricular diastole, arterial vascular elasticity will be generated by the retraction of the blood in the body of the blood flow rate is slowed down, the pressure on the walls of the vessels to reduce the pressure, the blood pressure has also dropped, the pressure becomes diastolic pressure, also known as “low pressure”. The pressure becomes diastolic pressure, also called “low pressure”. Hypertension is a chronic, systemic disease characterized by elevated arterial pressure, especially diastolic pressure, which can be accompanied by functional or organic changes in the heart, blood vessels, brain, kidneys and other organs. Generally, a systolic blood pressure ≥ 140 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90 mmHg without antihypertensive drugs is considered hypertension. Pre-existing low blood pressure, a rise in blood pressure that has not reached the above levels, and the presence of hypertensive symptoms such as headache and dizziness already, are also considered high blood pressure. Blood pressure increases due to increased peripheral vascular pressure or increased cardiac output caused by vascular sclerosis or peripheral vascular spasm and narrowing. The long-term development of the above lesions results in a continuous increase in blood pressure and damage to blood vessels and the heart, brain, and kidneys, resulting in the formation of hypertensive disease.

The prevalence of hypertension is very high in our country. The prevalence of hypertension among residents aged ≥18 years in China is 27.5%, with a total number of up to 300 million people, except for common susceptible groups such as older and obese people, and people who are addicted to smoking, alcohol, and excessive stress are also susceptible to high blood pressure.

First of all, overweight and obese people. Overweight and obesity is an important reason for the development of hypertension, according to the survey, the body mass index increases by 1, the number of patients diagnosed with hypertension within 5 years increased by 5%. The type of obesity is closely related to the occurrence of hypertension, abdominal obesity is more likely to occur hypertension.

Secondly, smokers. Cigarettes are extremely harmful to the human body, most of the long-term smokers are accompanied by endothelial damage and atherosclerosis, in addition to the harmful components of cigarettes, such as carbon monoxide and nicotine, will also increase the viscosity of the blood and resistance to blood flow, thus increasing blood pressure.

People who regularly drink large amounts of alcohol. Drinking large quantities of alcohol will increase blood volume. When drinking alcohol, due to the effect of alcohol, there is a temporary vasodilation, blood pressure fluctuation is not big or even appear to drop, but after drinking, the blood vessels are contracted, due to the larger blood volume, causing the blood pressure to rise significantly, and even triggering cerebral hemorrhage life-threatening. At the same time, excessive alcohol consumption can cause vascular spasm, triggering acute myocardial ischemia.

People with family history of hypertension. Genetic factors are considered an important cause of hypertension. People with a family history of hypertension and bad habits are prone to hypertension.

People with excessive stress. Mental stress is a major trigger for high blood pressure.

Elderly people. With age, blood vessels become less elastic and atherosclerosis worsens, thus triggering high blood pressure.

People with bad dietary habits. High-salt, low-calcium diets contribute to higher blood pressure.

The common standard for the prevention of hypertension is “tertiary prevention”. For people who have risk factors for hypertension but have not yet developed hypertension, primary prevention, i.e. pre-morbidity prevention, is adopted; mainly through rational diet and adjustment of psychological balance to control and reduce risk factors, so as to reduce the morbidity rate. Secondary prevention refers to early detection, diagnosis and treatment of hypertension, i.e. preclinical prevention of hypertension; this requires patients to adhere to the basis of primary prevention, actively communicate with their doctors, undergo regular checkups, and adhere to blood pressure monitoring and reasonable medication. Tertiary prevention means preventing complications of hypertension and reducing mortality and disability.

In the daily prevention of high blood pressure, the crucial point is to regularly self-test your blood pressure to keep abreast of the changes in blood pressure and the efficacy of antihypertensive drugs, so as to avoid accidents. Surveys show that there are two peak periods of blood pressure during the day, namely 6-10 am and 4-8 pm. Measuring blood pressure during these two periods of time will give you an idea of the highest value of blood pressure during the day.

Salt-restricted diet also plays a large part in hypertension prevention. Scientific studies have proved that salt intake is positively correlated with the incidence of hypertension, and that people with lifelong low-sodium intake hardly experience hypertension. The WHO stipulates a daily salt intake of 3-5 grams per person, and people with a history of high blood pressure are best controlled at 2-3 grams.

People who are addicted to smoking and alcohol are prone to hypertension, quitting smoking and limiting alcohol are also very important to prevent and control hypertension. Hypertensive patients should drink less than 1 tael (white wine) per day or abstain from alcohol altogether.

Obesity is a common factor that triggers high blood pressure. Intervention of obesity and weight control are very helpful in controlling high blood pressure. Standard body mass index is weight ÷ height² (kg/m). It is 21-24.5 for middle-aged men and 21-25 for middle-aged women.

Ensuring sleep and emotional adjustment also play a role in the prevention of hypertension.

In terms of dietary adjustments, hypertensive patients should pay attention to small, frequent meals and avoid oversatiety. Low sodium and high potassium diet, eat less salted vegetables, shrimp, and corns, hollow cabbage, moderate increase beans, walnuts, milk, peanuts, bamboo shoots, fish, fungus greens, onions and other foods, supplement calcium, iron intake, while eating 1-2 apples a day, supplement vitamin B and vitamin C. You can drink tea in moderation, tea contains tea polyphenols, and green tea is higher than black tea, tea polyphenols can avoid the oxidation of vitamin C, promote the Its application in the body, the discharge of harmful chromium ions, in addition to tea also contains a variety of trace elements, daily brewing 4-6 grams of tea, long-term drinking, very beneficial to the human body.

Preventing high blood pressure is not simply good for the heart, but wherever there are blood vessels in the body, they are able to benefit; focus on blood pressure, focus on health!