High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is a common health problem that can lead to serious issues like heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure.
Most people know this. But there is a type of high blood pressure that often goes unnoticed, and it can be just as dangerous. It’s called masked hypertension.
Masked hypertension happens when your blood pressure looks normal when checked at the doctor’s office but is actually high when you are at home or doing your daily activities. This makes it very hard to detect. Because of this, many people don’t even know they have it until they face serious health problems.
When you go to the doctor, your blood pressure might seem fine. The doctor might tell you that you’re healthy. But once you leave the clinic and return to your regular life, your blood pressure could go up without you even knowing. This hidden increase can still damage your heart, your blood vessels, and other parts of your body over time.
Scientists have found that people with masked hypertension are more likely to develop heart disease and suffer from events like heart attacks and strokes. These people face the same risks as those with regular high blood pressure.
The reason is simple: even though their blood pressure looks okay during a doctor’s visit, the spikes that happen at other times still cause harm.
One major problem with masked hypertension is that it often isn’t found until after it has caused damage. People feel reassured when the doctor says their blood pressure is normal. But this false sense of security can delay action. In many cases, masked hypertension is only discovered after something serious happens, like a stroke or heart attack.
There are a few reasons why this condition happens. One big reason is stress. Some people feel calm when they’re at the doctor’s office, which can make their blood pressure temporarily go down.
But in daily life, stress from work, home, or other situations can make blood pressure go up again. Other factors include poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking, and drinking alcohol, which all affect blood pressure in different ways throughout the day.
To find out if you might have masked hypertension, it helps to check your blood pressure at home. You can use a simple machine to measure it several times during the day. This gives a better picture than just one check at the clinic.
There is also a special device that you can wear for 24 hours. It records your blood pressure automatically as you go about your day. Doctors use this to find out if someone has masked hypertension.
If you are diagnosed with this condition, there are many ways to treat it. You can start by eating less salt, getting more exercise, losing weight if needed, and finding ways to reduce stress. Sometimes doctors will also give medicine to help control it.
In short, masked hypertension is a silent health threat. It can cause real harm even if your blood pressure looks normal at the clinic.
But by checking your blood pressure at home and taking care of your health, you can catch it early and take steps to prevent serious problems. If you think you might have this condition, talk to your doctor. Early action can save your life.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies about unhealthy habits that may increase high blood pressure risk, and drinking green tea could help lower blood pressure.
For more information about high blood pressure, please see recent studies about what to eat or to avoid for high blood pressure, and 12 foods that lower blood pressure.
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