Why Prevent High Blood Pressure Before It Happens
April 15th, 2006 (High Blood Pressure)
You may wonder why it’s so important to prevent high blood pressure. Why not simply wait for it to develop and then treat it? Below are 5 reasons why it’s better to act early instead of later.
1. Better odds: Generally, the younger you are when you try to change your lifestyle, the better your chances of succeeding. The longer you’re involved in an unhealthful habit, the more difficult it is for you to change that habit.
2. Reduced health risks: Even if you’re able to control your high blood pressure after the disease develops, you still have a higher risk of a heart attack or stroke than people who don’t have high blood pressure.
3. Control difficulties: Managing high blood pressure isn’t always easy. Only about a quarter of Americans with high blood pressure have their condition under control.
4. Side effects: Medications to treat high blood pressure can sometimes cause side effects, such as fatigue, headaches, constipation, a nagging cough and loss of sex drive.
5. Cost: Treating high blood pressure typically includes more frequent trips to your doctor. Plus, you may need to take medication daily.