High blood pressure is an extremely dangerous condition that is increasingly being seen even among young people. It carries the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Although poor diet and lifestyle are often cited as causes of this ailment, there is a possibility that the disease can be inherited, even if the parents suffer from hypertension.
High blood pressure means that the blood pressure in the blood vessels exceeds the normal level. If this condition is not controlled, it can harm the body and cause other health problems. This can happen even to someone who leads a healthy lifestyle and watches their diet, because high blood pressure has a genetic basis and can be passed down through generations.
Professor Dr. Tarun Kumar from the Cardiology Department at Medanta Medicity Mulchand in Delhi discussed this phenomenon. According to Dr. Kumar, parents with high blood pressure can pass on a gene to their child that increases the likelihood of developing this disease in the future. He noted that cases are observed where a person develops high blood pressure due to genetic reasons, despite maintaining a good lifestyle and diet.
According to data from the American Heart Association, healthy blood pressure is considered to be below 120 mm Hg systolic and below 80 mm Hg diastolic, meaning below 120/80 mm Hg. If the pressure is above this indicator, the doctor classifies it as elevated pressure or Stage 1 or Stage 2 hypertension. At a pressure above 140/80 mm Hg, medication may be required.
Dr. Tarun advises that if parents have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, it is crucial to inform their treating physician and regularly monitor one's blood pressure. If your pressure is within the normal range, you can prevent a significant increase by making certain necessary changes to your lifestyle. If your pressure exceeds the norm, besides taking medication, there are methods that can help bring it back into the acceptable range.