Ways to deal with high blood pressure [Video]

90% OF THE HOMES ON THE ISLAND. HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE CAN BE DANGEROUS IF NOT TREATED. KOAT, UNM HEALTH EXPERT DOCTOR RASH SPOKE WITH DARLENE MELENDEZ ABOUT THE CONDITION KNOWN AS THE SILENT KILLER HYPERTENSION, ALSO KNOWN AS HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, IS A CONDITION WHERE THE FORCE OF THE BLOOD PUSHING AGAINST THE WALLS OF THE ARTERIES IS CONSISTENTLY TOO HIGH. THIS MAKES THE HEART WORK HARDER TO PUMP BLOOD THROUGHOUT THE BODY, SO WHEN LEFT UNTREATED, HYPERTENSION INCREASES THE RISKS OF SERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEMS SUCH AS HEART ATTACKS, STROKE, AND OTHER CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES. IT CAN ALSO LEAD TO KIDNEY DAMAGE, VISION LOSS, AND OTHER COMPLICATIONS. THE HIGHER THE BLOOD PRESSURE AND THE LONGER IT REMAINS UNCONTROLLED, THE GREATER THE DAMAGE TO THE BODY. DOCTOR WHO IS AT RISK FOR DEVELOPING HYPERTENSION. SEVERAL FACTORS INCREASE THE RISK OF HYPERTENSION, INCLUDING AGE, RACE, FAMILY HISTORY, BEING OVERWEIGHT, LACK OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, …