High blood pressure or hypertension is a condition in which the blood pressure exceeds the limit of 140/90.
These two numbers indicate the maximum(140) and minimum(90) pressure that the heart exerts during one single beat, which involves a contraction and an expansion. Technically known as systolic and the diastolic pressure
High blood pressure is very often hereditary in nature, but an unbalanced diet and a faulty lifestyle can also cause this condition. High blood pressure damages blood vessels and increases the risks of kidney damage and heart attack.
Causes
In 90% of the cases, the cause of high blood pressure is not known (referred to as primary hypertension). Although the specific cause is unknown, certain factors are recognized as contributing to high blood pressure.
* Age: The older you get, the greater the likelihood that you will develop high blood pressure, especially systolic, as your arteries get stiffer. This is largely due to arteriosclerosis, or "hardening of the arteries."
* Race: African Americans have high blood pressure more often than whites. They develop high blood pressure at a younger age and develop more severe complications sooner.
* Family history (heredity): The tendency to have high blood pressure appears to run in families.
* Gender: Generally men have a greater likelihood of developing high blood pressure than women. This likelihood varies according to age and among various ethnic groups.
* Overweight (obesity): Obesity is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 kg/m2. It is very closely related to high blood pressure. Medical professionals strongly recommend that all obese people with high blood pressure lose weight until they are within 15% of their healthy body weight. Your health care provider can help you calculate your BMI and healthy range of body weight.
* Sodium (salt) sensitivity: Some people have high sensitivity to sodium (salt), and their blood pressure goes up if they use salt. Reducing sodium intake tends to lower their blood pressure. Americans consume 10-15 times more sodium than they need. Fast foods and processed foods contain particularly high amounts of sodium. Many over-the-counter medicines, such as painkillers, also contain large amounts of sodium. Read labels to find out how much sodium is contained in food items. Avoid those with high sodium levels.
* Alcohol use: Drinking more than one to two drinks of alcohol per day tends to raise blood pressure in those who are sensitive to alcohol.
* Birth control pills (oral contraceptive use): Some women who take birth control pills develop high blood pressure.
* Lack of exercise (physical inactivity): A sedentary lifestyle contributes to the development of obesity and high blood pressure.
* Drugs: Certain drugs, such as amphetamines (stimulants), diet pills, and some pills used for cold and allergy symptoms, tend to raise blood pressure.
Symptoms
Though hypertension does not have too many obvious symptoms, frequent and unexplained tiredness and dizziness, ringing in the ears, thumping in the chest and hot flushes on the face may be signs of increase in blood pressure.
Sometimes people with high blood pressure have the following symptoms:
* Headache
* Dizziness
* Blurred vision
* Nausea
People often do not seek medical care until they have symptoms arising from the organ damage caused by chronic (ongoing, long-term) high blood pressure. The following types of organ damage are commonly seen in chronic high blood pressure:
* Heart attack
* Heart failure
* Stroke or "mini stroke" (transient ischemic attack, TIA)
* Kidney failure
* Eye damage with loss of vision
* Peripheral arterial disease
* Outpouchings of the aorta, called aneurysms
Treatment
Studies show that many people get better control of blood pressure with combination treatment than with one drug.
Most people with mild high blood pressure respond to one medication. Sometimes it takes a few tries to find the most effective drug.
However, sometimes one drug cannot control high blood pressure. The doctor may increase the dose or change the medication, yet the blood pressure stays high. That's when a second drug may be added.
You can prevent high blood pressure by:
These two numbers indicate the maximum(140) and minimum(90) pressure that the heart exerts during one single beat, which involves a contraction and an expansion. Technically known as systolic and the diastolic pressure
High blood pressure is very often hereditary in nature, but an unbalanced diet and a faulty lifestyle can also cause this condition. High blood pressure damages blood vessels and increases the risks of kidney damage and heart attack.Causes
In 90% of the cases, the cause of high blood pressure is not known (referred to as primary hypertension). Although the specific cause is unknown, certain factors are recognized as contributing to high blood pressure.
* Age: The older you get, the greater the likelihood that you will develop high blood pressure, especially systolic, as your arteries get stiffer. This is largely due to arteriosclerosis, or "hardening of the arteries."
* Race: African Americans have high blood pressure more often than whites. They develop high blood pressure at a younger age and develop more severe complications sooner.
* Family history (heredity): The tendency to have high blood pressure appears to run in families.
* Gender: Generally men have a greater likelihood of developing high blood pressure than women. This likelihood varies according to age and among various ethnic groups.
* Overweight (obesity): Obesity is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 kg/m2. It is very closely related to high blood pressure. Medical professionals strongly recommend that all obese people with high blood pressure lose weight until they are within 15% of their healthy body weight. Your health care provider can help you calculate your BMI and healthy range of body weight.
* Sodium (salt) sensitivity: Some people have high sensitivity to sodium (salt), and their blood pressure goes up if they use salt. Reducing sodium intake tends to lower their blood pressure. Americans consume 10-15 times more sodium than they need. Fast foods and processed foods contain particularly high amounts of sodium. Many over-the-counter medicines, such as painkillers, also contain large amounts of sodium. Read labels to find out how much sodium is contained in food items. Avoid those with high sodium levels.
* Alcohol use: Drinking more than one to two drinks of alcohol per day tends to raise blood pressure in those who are sensitive to alcohol.
* Birth control pills (oral contraceptive use): Some women who take birth control pills develop high blood pressure.
* Lack of exercise (physical inactivity): A sedentary lifestyle contributes to the development of obesity and high blood pressure.
* Drugs: Certain drugs, such as amphetamines (stimulants), diet pills, and some pills used for cold and allergy symptoms, tend to raise blood pressure.
Symptoms
Though hypertension does not have too many obvious symptoms, frequent and unexplained tiredness and dizziness, ringing in the ears, thumping in the chest and hot flushes on the face may be signs of increase in blood pressure.
Sometimes people with high blood pressure have the following symptoms:
* Headache
* Dizziness
* Blurred vision
* Nausea
People often do not seek medical care until they have symptoms arising from the organ damage caused by chronic (ongoing, long-term) high blood pressure. The following types of organ damage are commonly seen in chronic high blood pressure:
* Heart attack
* Heart failure
* Stroke or "mini stroke" (transient ischemic attack, TIA)
* Kidney failure
* Eye damage with loss of vision
* Peripheral arterial disease
* Outpouchings of the aorta, called aneurysms
Treatment
Studies show that many people get better control of blood pressure with combination treatment than with one drug.
Most people with mild high blood pressure respond to one medication. Sometimes it takes a few tries to find the most effective drug.
However, sometimes one drug cannot control high blood pressure. The doctor may increase the dose or change the medication, yet the blood pressure stays high. That's when a second drug may be added.
You can prevent high blood pressure by:
- Maintaining a healthy weight. Being overweight can make you two to six times more likely to develop high blood pressure than if you are at your desirable weight. Even small amounts of weight loss can make a big difference in helping to prevent and treat high blood pressure.
- Getting regular exercise: People who are physically active have a lower risk of getting high blood pressure -- 20%-50% lower -- than people who are not active. You don't have to be a marathon runner to benefit from physical activity. Even light activities, if done daily, can help lower your risk.
- Reducing salt intake: Often, when people with high blood pressure cut back on salt, their blood pressure falls. Cutting back on salt also prevents blood pressure from rising.
- Drinking alcohol in moderation, if at all: Drinking too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure. So to help prevent high blood pressure, if you drink alcohol, limit how much you drink to no more than two drinks a day. The "Dietary Guidelines for Americans" recommend that for overall health, women should limit their alcohol to no more than one drink a day.
- Reduce Stress: Stress can make blood pressure go up and over time may contribute to the cause of high blood pressure. There are many steps you can take to reduce your stress.
Refered From
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