2. High Blood Pressure: The Pressure Cooker
The second leading cause of heart attacks might come as a surprise: high blood pressure. Also known as hypertension, high blood pressure creates a sort of pressure cooker effect within your arteries. When blood pushes too hard against the walls of your blood vessels, the heart has to work overtime to pump blood throughout the body, putting a strain on the heart muscle.
High blood pressure can be deceptive, often displaying no symptoms until a person develops heart disease. In many instances, people remain oblivious to their hypertension until they suffer a heart attack or stroke, which are both potential outcomes of untreated high blood pressure. The asymptomatic nature of high blood pressure has led it to be referred to as a “silent killer,” much like CAD.
Multiple factors contribute to high blood pressure. These include an unhealthy lifestyle—characterized by a poor diet, lack of physical activity, excess alcohol, and smoking—as well as genetic factors. Age, family history, and chronic conditions like kidney disease or diabetes can also increase the risk of developing hypertension.
Despite its insidious nature, hypertension is manageable and preventable. Regular monitoring of blood pressure is critical.
Additionally, lifestyle modifications such as a balanced diet, regular physical activity, limiting alcohol intake, and quitting smoking can effectively help manage high blood pressure and, consequently, reduce the risk of heart attacks. Regular medical check-ups, coupled with medication when prescribed, are crucial in managing this condition. (2)
