What is Hypertension?

What is High Blood Pressure?

Many people ask, "What is Hypertension?" Good question! Hypertension is many times confused with general tension, such as nervous tension. In most cases, the high blood pressure isn't high enough to cause noticeable symptoms. Therefore, hypertension can create problems because people who have it often have no idea do.

Hypertension can be a serious matter because those who have high blood pressure are at an increased risk of heart disease.

Heart

Quitting smoking is recommended for everybody. However, it is doubly important for people with hypertension because being a non-smoker reduces the risk of many dangerous outcomes of hypertension, such as stroke and heart attack.

Evidence suggests that reduction of the blood pressure by even a little bit can decrease the risk of stroke by 40%, and reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by 20%. The likelihood of developing dementia or heart failure decrease when the hypertension comes under control. Reducing blood pressure also reduces the like hood of being diagnosed with vascular disease.

Because high blood pressure requires the heart to do more work to pump blood, the right side of the heart may become larger than normal and heart failure could develop.

Obesity

Obesity is a major contributor in the development of hypertension. It is hoped following the normal prescribed high blood pressure diet will help to both bring down weight and blood pressure readings.

Risk

Hypertension is a major risk factor for strokes. Also, high blood pressure, in some cases, could lead to heart attack and heart failure, as well as kidney problems. Diabetes and high cholesterol levels are risk factors as well. A patient's cholesterol is often taken the same time his blood pressure is checked.

People who manage their high blood pressure with a treatment program lower their risk of having serious complications, as they get older. A diet high in fruits and vegetables has been linked to a decreased risk of both hypertension and stroke. Research is being done with patients in high-risk groups to see if calcium supplementation, fish oil and/or flax seed supplementation may help prevent or control hypertension.

Vessels

The bottom number of your blood pressure reading is your diastolic pressure. This is the pressure inside blood vessels when your heart is at rest. Many factors can affect this number including how much water and salt you have in your body, the condition of your kidneys, nervous system, or blood vessels, and the levels of different body hormones.

Medications

Medications or drugs that may cause a hypertensive emergency include cocaine, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), and oral contraceptives. Also alcohol and steroids can cause a hypertensive emergency. One being treated for hypertension should be careful about what over the counter drugs they may ingest. Of special importance are cold medications. It also should be noted that when a person is taken off beta-blockers he must be weaned off gradually or he would be risking a hypertensive emergency.

The topic of which type of the many medications should be used initially for hypertension has been the subject of many studies. The doctor will check with those who are first diagnosed with high blood pressure to see if it is possible they could get it back to normal just by changing their normal everyday activity. Of course, if this change does not bear any fruit, they will, eventually be prescribed an appropriate dosage of an appropriate medication.

Normal

120/80 is thought to be about the ideal blood pressure measurement. Different life situations can raise and lower blood pressure. One thing that will affect blood pressure is stress. Those are affected by stress will many times have perfectly normal readings in situations where they are in a calm state. Also, it is important to note relaxation will, many times, lower one's blood pressure.

Diagnosis

Just about every physical examination includes checking the patient's blood pressure. Usually, your doctor will not conclude you have high blood pressure until he has taken several readings over several weeks. Therefore blood pressure measurements need to be repeated over time, so he can confirm the diagnosis.

Conclusion

The overall goal in treating hypertension is to prevent other health related complications. Many patients still believe that hypertension is a disease that can be cured, and stop or reduce medication when blood pressure levels fall. This is a very dangerous belief. A person should only stop a medication when he has been told by his doctor to do so!

Many times the cause of the hypertension is unknown. Sometimes a person will be born with genetic risk factors and he or she will be more or less doomed to develop hypertension. The cause of hypertension is not known in most people who have it. For this reason it is wise to have regular checkups.

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