Hypertension or High BP is a condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is elevated. With every heartbeat, the heart pumps blood through the arteries to the rest of the body. Blood pressure is defined as the force with which the blood is pushed up against the walls of the blood vessels (Arteries). If the pressure is too high, the heart has to work harder to pump, and this could lead to the organ damage and may lead to several cardiovascular problems like heart attack, stroke, heart failure,aneurysm, and if the BP is not treated it may also lead to renal failure.
The normal blood pressure is120/80, where 120 represents the systolic measurement (peak pressure in the arteries) and 80 represents the diastolic measurement (minimum pressure in the arteries). Blood pressure between 120/80 and 139/89 is called prehypertension (to denote increased risk of hypertension), and a blood pressure of 140/90 or above is considered hypertension.
Hypertension may be classified as essential or secondary. Essential hypertension is the term for high blood pressure with unknown cause. It accounts for about 95% of cases. Secondary hypertension is the term for high blood pressure with a known direct cause, such as kidney disease,tumors,or birthcontrol pills.
Some 73 million adults the United States are affected by hypertension. The condition also affects about two million teens and children.
Causes for hypertension.
Though the exact causes of hypertension are usually unknown, there are several factors that have been highly associated with the condition. These include:
- Smoking
- Obesity or being overweight
- Diabetes
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Lack of physical activity
- Aging
- Medicines such as birth control pills
- Genetics and a family history of hypertension
- Chronic kidney disease
- Adrenal and thyroid problems or tumors.
- High salt intake (sodium sensitivity)
- Insufficient calcium, potassium, and magnesium consumption
- Vitamin D deficiency
- High alcohol consumption
- Stress
Statistics in the USA indicate that African Americans have a higher incidence of hypertension than other ethnicities.
Symptoms of hypertension
There is no guarantee that a person with hypertension will present any symptoms of the condition. About 33% of people actually do not know that they have high blood pressure, and this ignorance can last for years. For this reason, it is advisable to undergo periodic blood pressure screenings even when no symptoms are present.
High blood pressure may lead to some symptoms, however, and these include the following:
- Severe headaches
- Fatigue or confusion
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Vision problems
- Chest pains
- Breathing problems
- Irregular heartbeat
- Blood in the urine
Diagnosis for hypertension.
Hypertension may be diagnosed by a health professional who measures blood pressure with a device called a sphygmomanometer. The systolic and diastolic numbers will be recorded. If the pressure is greater than 140/90, you will be considered to have hypertension.
A high blood pressure measurement, however, may be spurious or the result of stress at the time of the exam. In order to perform a more thorough diagnosis, physicians usually conduct a physical exam and ask for the medical history of you and your family. Doctors will need to know if you have any of the risk factors for hypertension, such as smoking, high alcohol intake, high cholesterol, or diabetes.
If hypertension seems reasonable, tests such as electrocardiograms (ECG) and echocardiograms will be used in order to measure electrical activity of the heart and to assess the physical structure of the heart. Additional blood tests will also be required to identify possible causes of secondary hypertension and to measure renal function, electrolyte levels, sugar levels, and cholesterol levels.
Treatment for hypertension.
The main goal of treatment for hypertension is to lower blood pressure to less than 140/90 - or even lower in some groups of people who are diabetic and people with chronic kidney diseases. Treating hypertension is important for reducing the risk of stroke, heart attack, and heart failure.
High blood pressure may be treated medically, by adopting some life style changes or a combination of the two. The Important lifestyle changes may include weight reduction, quitting smoking, eating a healthy diet, reducing salt intake, regular physical exercise and limiting alcohol consumption.
Medical options to treat hypertension include several classes of drugs. ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, diuretics, calcium channel blockers, alpha-blockers, ect. These classes of drugs may be used alone or in combination.
The DASH plan for Lowering Hypertension.
What you eat affects your chances of getting high blood pressure. A healthy eating plan can both reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure and lower a blood pressure that is already too high. For an overall eating plan, consider DASH, which stands for “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.” You can reduce your blood pressure by eating foods that are low in saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol, and high in fruits, vegetables, and low fat dairy foods. The DASH eating plan includes whole grains, poultry, fish, and nuts, and has low amounts of fats, red meats, sweets, and sugared beverages. It is also high in potassium, calcium, and magnesium, as well as protein and fiber. Eating foods lower in salt and sodium also can reduce blood pressure. Box 6 gives the servings and food groups for the DASH eating plan. The number of servings that is right for you may vary, depending on your caloric need. The DASH eating plan has more daily servings of fruits, vegetables, and grains than you may be used to eating. Those foods are high in fiber, and eating more of them may temporarily cause bloating and diarrhea. To get used to the DASH eating plan, gradually increase your servings of fruits, vegetables, and grains. A good way to change to the DASH eating plan is to keep a diary of your current eating habits. Write down what you eat, how much, when, and why. Note whether you snack on high-fat foods while watching television or if you skip breakfast and eat a big lunch. Do this for several days. You’ll be able to see where you can start making changes
Tips to reduce salt intake:
- Use fresh poultry, fish, and lean meat, rather than canned or processed types.
- Use herbs, spices, and salt-free seasoning blends in cooking.
- Cook rice, pasta, and hot cereal without salt. Cut back on instant or flavored rice, pasta, and cereal mixes, which usually have added salt.
- Choose convenience foods that are low in sodium. Cut back on frozen dinners, pizza, packaged mixes, canned soups or broths, and salad dressings—these often have a lot of sodium.
- Rinse canned foods, such as tuna, to remove some sodium.
- When available, buy low- or reduced-sodium or no-salt-added versions of Foods
- Choose ready-to-eat breakfast cereals that are low in sodium.
How can hypertension be prevented
Hypertension can best be prevented by adopting lifestyle changes along with proper diet and exercise. It is important to maintain a healthy weight, less salt intake, reduction in alcohol intake, and mainly a stress free life style. To prevent damage to the critical organs and some conditions such as stroke, heart attack, and kidney failure that may be caused by high blood pressure, it is advisable have a periodical screening, diagnosis, treatment, and control the hyper tension in its earliest stages. In addition to this creating some public awareness programs can also be one better way of understanding about Hypertension.
Long term hypertension has some affects on vital organs in the body like brain, eyes, kidneys, arteries etc.
Check the video below,to know about hypertension:
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