Things you need to know

According to Dr. Mukesh Gupta, a Gynaecologist and Psychological Counsellor, here are some facts you need to know about high blood pressure.

• Balancing Act

There is no sure shot demarcation between high and low blood pressure levels. It differs from person to person. What is really harmful is the fluctuation in the blood pressure. So, it is important to keep your blood pressure in control.

• Types

There are two types of hypertension, secondary and essential. Secondary hypertension is temporary and may be due to reasons such as reaction to medication, renal disease, tumour, and pregnancy. Treating these problems can control high blood pressure.

Essential hypertension is a lifelong problem and should be kept in check. There is no specific cause. There are multiple factors that can lead to it.

Having said that, if you have a family history of high blood pressure you are more prone to getting it yourself.

According to Dr. Gupta, if you are a working woman, you are at a high risk of getting high blood pressure. Here's how:

Stress at Work

Being a working woman you have to deal with a lot of stress. You have deadlines to meet, performance levels to be keep up to; the list goes on.

At the same time, there is no respite at the home front as well. A working woman today is still a homemaker. This just makes life all the more stressful.

Lack of Exercise

With job and home you are left with no time to exercise. Lack of exercises and obesity is another reason that could lead to high blood pressure.

Too Much Salt

Indian food has a lot of salt to it as it is. Adding to that, lack of time would prompt you to grab junk food which is again full of salt. At the end of the day, you land up having excessive amounts of salt, which is another risk factor for high blood pressure.