If you’ve thought about checking your blood pressure but haven’t gotten to it, it’s time to do it. Here are 7 reasons to check your blood pressure.
High blood pressure (also known as hypertension) is a significant risk factor in heart disease, the leading cause of death worldwide. To help you understand why you need to get your blood pressure checked, here are 7 reasons you need to know.
1. The Silent Killer
There’s a reason why high blood pressure is dubbed the silent killer: it has virtually no symptoms. In other words, the only way to know if you have the condition is by checking your levels. If you decide to measure it at home, experts recommend that you avoid eating or drinking 30 minutes beforehand.
2. Age Is A Factor
While you may be an overall healthy individual and have had healthy levels in the past, it doesn’t mean this can’t change. In fact, as you get older, your blood vessels will stiffen and become less flexible, which can drive up your blood pressure.
3. New Guidelines
Before 2017, it was widely considered that having anything below 140/90 mm Hg was fine. However, newer guidelines consider anything at or above 130/80 mm Hg to be high.
4. Low Risks
If you’re older, you’re more likely to experience multiple health conditions, so you may be cautious about lowering your pressure too much. However, recent research shows that intensive blood pressure management can significantly lower the rates of cardiovascular events and death.
5. Brain Boost
By knowing your blood pressure levels, you can manage them effectively, which will give a boost to both your heart and brain health. According to the SPRINT MIND study, maintaining a systolic blood pressure of 120 mm Hg may result in lower incidences of mild cognitive impairment.
6. Hypertension Is Widespread
According to the American Heart Association, at least one out of three adults in the U.S. suffers from high blood pressure. In other words, you have a 1 in 3 chance of having this condition, so why not rule it out with a simple checkup?
7. Medical Procedures
If you have high blood pressure, you may not be able to undergo certain procedures based on your numbers. For instance, a visit to the dentist may call for a local anesthetic or numbing cream containing epinephrine, which can increase your blood pressure.
The Outlook
Checking your blood pressure levels only takes a minute or two, but it can make a world of difference. You can either get your own at-home monitor, go to a pharmacy, or check your levels when you go for your regular doctor’s appointment.
In addition, you can take certain supplements like L-arginine Plus to give your heart an extra boost. Its ingredients are effective at promoting blood pressure health, circulation, cholesterol, and more.
Give your blood pressure health the support it deserves by checking your levels and taking L-arginine Plus.