Medically, Hypertension is high blood pressure. Blood pressure
(BP) is the force of blood pushing against the walls of arteries
as it flows through them. Arteries are the blood vessels that
carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the body's tissues.
In other words if the arteries are relaxed or dilated the
BP is lesser. When the heart muscle contracts the BP is highest
(systolic) and when the heart relaxes the BP is lowest (diastolic)
Who is Hypertensive?
One who has a sustained elevated blood pressure exceeding
140 over 90 mmHg -- a systolic pressure above 140 with a diastolic
pressure above 90 is hypertensive. Normal BP should be less
than 120/80 mmHg.
How BP is measured?
BP is measured with a blood pressure cuff (Sphygmomanometer).
(Sphygmo is Greek for pulse, and a manometer measures pressure.)
What to know about Hypertension?
1. Most of the times hypertension is symptom-free and often
identified during a general screening or an eye examination.
There may be some morning headaches that subside during the
day.
2. Primary or essential or idiopathic hypertension results
from no particular cause while secondary hypertension results
from some other disease condition of the body (kidney disease
or disorders of thyroid or adrenal glands).
3. Hypertension is considered as a major risk factor for heart
disease, stroke, congestive heart failure, and kidney disease.
4. According to statistics, under age 45, men are more affected
than women. However, at ages 65 and above, women are more
affected than men.
5. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) can cause shortness of breath,
dizziness, fainting etc., which is because of increased BP
in the pulmonary artery, pulmonary vein, or pulmonary capillaries,
which form the lung vasculature.
6. Sedentary lifestyle, smoking, alcohol consumption of more
than 1 to 2 drinks per day, increased salt intake, family
history, age, obesity, stress, chronic kidney disease, adrenal
or thyroid dysfunctions are the conditions that help in the
development of hypertension.
7. High blood pressure in children and adolescents is often
overlooked by physicians and is a growing health problem that
is often related to renal issues or obesity. Normal blood
pressure values for children and adolescents are based on
age, sex, and height, and are to be checked with standard
values available.
8. Gestational hypertension is also termed as pregnancy-induced
hypertension (PIH). It is a condition of high blood pressure
during pregnancy that can lead to a serious condition called
pre-eclampsia (toxemia).
9. Lifestyle changes, reducing weight, limiting alcohol, smoking
cessation, taking a low-salt, low-fat diet with lots of fruits
and vegetables and a suitable drug therapy can keep hypertension
under control.
10. Drug therapy includes diuretics, ACE inhibitors, ARBs,
beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, alpha-blockers, alpha-agonists,
renin inhibitors or a combination of the above drugs are tried
to suit individually.
What body organs are affected
by Hypertension?
Know it from our informational video “Effects of High
Blood Pressure”.
Watch the Video: What body organs are affected by Hypertension?
One way to get high blood pressure is ...
One
way to get high blood pressure is
to go mountain climbing over molehills.
~
Earl Wilson
Disclaimer: The above content is provided
for information and awareness purpose only. It is not prescriptive
or suggestive or meant to replaces your qualified physician's
advice or consultation.