Everyone experiences a few spikes in blood pressure from time to time. But for some people, spiking blood pressure can indicate a more serious health problem. If you’re wondering what can cause your blood pressure to spike, read on for answers. We’ll explain why your blood pressure might go up and what you can do to prevent it from happening again.
The Causes of High Blood Pressure
There are many potential causes of high blood pressure, but the underlying cause is usually a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Some of the most common causes of high blood pressure include:
1) Lack of exercise. Exercise can help to maintain healthy blood pressure levels by reducing stress and boosting your heart health.
2) A diet that’s high in salt and unhealthy fats. Eating too much salt and saturated fat can increase your blood pressure levels.
3) Smoking. Smoking can raise your risk for hypertension by increasing your heart rate and lowering your blood flow.
4) A family history of hypertension. If you have a family history of hypertension, it’s more likely that you’ll develop the condition yourself.
5) obesity. Being overweight or obese increases your risk for developing hypertension, even if you don’t have other risk factors for the condition.
What You Can Do to Lower Your Blood Pressure
There are many things that people can do to lower their blood pressure, including quitting smoking, eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and avoiding stress. Some medications can also be helpful in lowering blood pressure. If your blood pressure is high, discuss your options with your doctor.
How to Tell if Your BP is Normal
If your blood pressure readings are consistently high or low, it may be worth getting a formal diagnosis from a doctor. However, there are some basic things you can do to help keep your pressure in check on your own. To determine if your blood pressure is normal, take the following steps:
1. Measure your blood pressure at least twice per day, morning and evening.
2. Compare the average of the two measurements to the recommended ranges for adults according to the American Heart Association (AHA). The AHA suggests that adults have a systolic pressure between 120 and 139 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and a diastolic pressure of 75-79 mmHg. For example, if your morning reading is 137 mmHg and your evening reading is 124 mmHg, then your average reading is 131 mmHg and you should stay within these ranges.
3. If you experience irregular heartbeats or feel lightheadedness when exercising, talk to your doctor about whether modifying your diet or exercise regimen might be responsible for your spikes in blood pressure.
What If You Have to Have a BP Checked?
If you have to have your blood pressure checked, make sure to bring your current medications with you so the doctor can see if they are causing your high blood pressure. If the doctor is concerned that your high blood pressure is caused by your medication, they may switch you to a different drug or recommend that you change your dosage.
Conclusion
Blood pressure is a tricky thing to control, and for many people, fluctuations in the pressure can be frustrating and even debilitating. Sometimes these spikes are due to changes in lifestyle or diet, while other times they may be caused by an underlying medical condition. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the most common causes of blood pressure spiking and offer tips on how you can identify and tackle them head-on. Hopefully, following our advice will help you find relief from your high blood pressure symptoms once and for all.
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