e-Pharmatimes

INTRODUCTION: Systemic arterial hypertension is one of the strongest known modifiable risk factors for ischaemic heart disease, stroke, renal failure and heart failure. It remains poorly treated. As an asymptomatic disorder, people are understandably reluctant to accept adverse drug effects in addition to the inconvenience of long-term treatment. In this regard, modern drugs represent an enormous improvement. PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AND SITES OF DRUG ACTION Hypertension is occasionally secondary to some distinct disease. However, most patients with persistent arterial hypertension have essential hypertension. Arterial blood pressure is determined by cardiac output, peripheral vascular resistance and large artery compliance. Peripheral vascular resistance is determined by the diameter of resistance vessels (small muscular arteries and arterioles) in the various tissues. One or more of a ‘mosaic’ of interconnected predisposing factors (including positive family history, obesity and phys...

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 m...