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Why is hypertension sometimes called the silent killer?
AIt develops only in people who already have heart disease
BIt brings chest pain that patients mistake for indigestion
CIt can be detected only after a stroke has already occurred
DIt carries no symptoms, so a person may be unaware of it
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: D. It carries no symptoms, so a person may be unaware of it
1. Hypertension is high blood pressure and is a major risk factor for heart disease.
2. It forces the heart to pump harder and so puts more physical strain on the heart.
3. Left unchecked it can lead to a heart attack, stroke or heart failure, and also to kidney failure and blindness.
4. It is called the silent killer because it has no symptoms, so someone with high blood pressure may not even be aware of it.
5. Chest pain that spreads to the arms, neck and jaw is angina, a symptom of heart disease rather than of raised blood pressure.
6. Hypertension is a risk factor that precedes heart disease rather than a condition confined to existing patients, and it can be measured long before any stroke.
_Source: OpenStax Psychology (1st ed., CC BY 4.0), Ch 14 "Stress, Lifestyle, and Health", section 14.3 Stress and Illness_
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