High Blood Pressure
 High blood pressure can pose severe health problems.
About fifty million Americans, whose ages range from six and above, suffer from high blood pressure. Of those people, thirty one percent don’t even know they have it. That’s why it’s called ‘The silent killer’ by doctors. There are usually no warning signs that you have high blood pressure, and you won’t know unless you go to the doctors and get a test performed. Blood pressure is basically the pressure your heart exerts in order to move the blood through your veins, arteries and arterioles. The arterioles contract and expand. When the arterioles remain contracted for too long, you end up with high blood pressure. That’s the short version anyways. See your doctor if you want the expanded version! Effects of High Blood PressureIf left too long, high blood pressure can cause the arteries to burst or bulge, causing aneurisms and haemorrhages, both of which can kill you. If this isn’t enough, if you have high blood pressure you are more at risk of suffering from heart disease or a stroke. In most cases high blood pressure is caused by an unhealthy diet and not enough exercise. The more fat you have on your body, the more constricted your veins become and the harder it is for your heart to pump the blood around. Smoking and eating a lot of salt are also things that you shouldn’t do if you want to stay out of the fifty million group of people who have high blood pressure. If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, your doctor will probably tell you to lose some weight, eat healthier, quit smoking and drinking and might even give you some medication. There are two basic forms of high blood pressure medication. Diuretics (water pills) reduce your body’s water volume and sodium and Vasodilators relax the muscles in the blood vessel walls. Depending on your type of high blood pressure, both are very effective. Sometimes you can get high blood pressure because it’s hereditary. This is the worst kind because you have very little control over it, and you might be in pretty good shape and not realize you have it. A little trick of genetics and your body is almost hardwired to earn you high blood pressure at some point. There are a few more things that can help you into the fifty million high blood pressure club. Kidney disease, hormone imbalances, diabetes, pregnancy and a narrowing of the aorta are an example of a few of these. As a final twist of fate (in case you dodged the bullet on the things listed above) Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic blacks are more likely to get high blood pressure than the rest of the population. People that have a lower education and lower incomes are also more likely to get high blood pressure, probably because they eat cheaper food and more fast food.
Sam Fields 
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