It is more likely that you experience hypertension (high blood pressure) due to genetics and age while suffering from certain medical conditions. Blood pressure measurement considers how much blood passes through your blood vessels and the resistance blood meets when the heart is pumping. When the blood pushing through your vessels is consistently too high, hypertension occurs. In this document, we will talk about hypertension causes, symptoms, treatment, and others.
High Blood Pressure
Increased resistance to blood flow creates narrowed blood vessels also known as arteries. Therefore, the narrower your blood vessels are the more resistance there is and hypertension will be higher. Not treating this health condition, may lead to some unwanted health conditions such as heart disease. People who experience high blood pressure do not have any symptoms but anyway, this disease can cause damage to your blood vessels and organs including kidneys, eyes, heart, and brain.
It is important to detect this health condition early. Thus, you should check your blood pressure (BP) regularly to see if the number is high or not. Commonly, treatment of hypertension includes lifestyle changes, prescription medications, and others.
Blood Pressure Readings
There are two numbers that create blood pressure readings. The top number (Systolic pressure) indicates pressure in your arteries when your heart beats, therefore, pumping out blood. The bottom number (Diastolic pressure) shows pressure in your arteries between the beats of your heart. Check below hypertension ranges below:
- Healthy range Systolic (mm Hg) is less than 120 and Diastolic (mm Hg) is less than 80.
- Increased BP is considered when Systolic pressure is between 120-129 and Diastolic less than 80.
- First high blood pressure stage – Systolic 130-139 and Diastolic 80-89.
- Second hypertension stage – Systolic 140 or higher and Diastolic 90 or higher.
- If your readings show Systolic pressure over 180 and a Diastolic 120 or higher is a hypertension crisis.
Blood pressure readings usually are different for children and teenagers.
Symptoms of High Blood Pressure
This condition is also called a silent killer or condition. Most people do not notice any symptoms while suffering from hypertension. However, some symptoms may be assigned to high blood pressure. For example:
- Flushing
- Dizziness
- Blood spots in the eyes (subconjunctival hemorrhage)
Regular blood pressure readings can help you find have you this condition or not.
Causes of Hypertension
People may experience two types of high blood pressure and each type has its cause.
Essential or Primary Hypertension
In most cases, a combination of factors leads to this health condition. For example:
- High sodium intake is one factor that has a small association with hypertension. If you administer more than 1.5 g a day, it may cause this disease.
- Diabetes and metabolic syndrome are some conditions that increase the risk of developing high blood pressure.
- A very sedentary lifestyle is linked to hypertension. A sedentary lifestyle means decreased levels of fitness.
- Alcohol misuse – Females who have more than one drink per day and males who have more than two drinks daily are at higher risk of high blood pressure.
- Obesity – this condition may lead to some cardiac problems including hypertension.
- Age – Those who are over 65 years old are more likely to develop this medical condition.
- Genes – Gene mutations or abnormalities inherited from parents can make someone predisposed to high blood pressure.
Secondary Hypertension
This type of high blood pressure occurs faster and may become more severe than the first type. Commonly, several health conditions provoke secondary hypertension. For example:
- Congenital heart defects
- Adverse reactions to medicines
- Chronic use of alcohol and street drugs
- Adrenal gland issues
- Endocrine tumors
- Thyroid disease
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Kidney disease
If you have any questions, ask a healthcare provider.
How to Diagnose High Blood Pressure?
Most healthcare professionals will check your blood pressure regularly because commonly after one reading hypertension diagnosis is not given. If your blood pressure remains high, your healthcare provider may perform more tests to find the underlying condition. For example:
- Blood tests and cholesterol screening.
- A test of your heart’s electrical activity with an electrocardiogram also called EKG.
- Ultrasound of your kidneys.
The tests listed above can help to identify any problems that cause increased blood pressure. Additionally, healthcare professionals may begin treatment because it will help to decrease the risk of lasting damage.
Treatment
The best treatment for high blood pressure is based on several factors.
Primary Hypertension Treatment
Lifestyle changes usually are enough to decrease high blood pressure. However, your physician may prescribe you some medicines if these lifestyle changes do not help.
Secondary Hypertension Treatment
In case your healthcare professional identifies the underlying cause of high blood pressure, the treatment will focus on that condition. It means that if your high blood pressure is caused by medicines, a physician will direct you to stop using that drug or change the medicine. In addition, hypertension treatment may change because what worked first may be less effective over time.
Medicines
There are different medicines that may help to treat hypertension. However, your physician may prescribe different combinations to see if they work for you or not. Check below some examples:
- Alpha-2 Agonists – This category of drugs changes the nerve impulses that provoke blood vessels to tighten. It works by relaxing the blood vessels. This effect helps to decrease blood pressure.
- Calcium Channel Blockers help to block the calcium from entering the cardiac muscles of your heart. Therefore, less forceful heartbeats and a decrease in blood pressure occur.
- Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers (ARBs) help to relax blood vessels therefore decreasing your blood pressure.
- ACE Inhibitors – are medications used to prevent the production of certain chemicals that provoke tightened and narrow arteries.
- Diuretics – In some cases, increased sodium levels and fluid excess in your body may increase blood pressure. This category of medicines helps your kidneys to remove sodium excess from your body.
- Beta-Blockers – These medicines make your heart beat slowly. This effect decreases the amount of blood that passes through blood vessels, which helps to decrease blood pressure.
Home Remedies for Hypertension
There are some tips that may help to control factors that cause high blood pressure. For example:
- A heart-healthy diet is essential to lower hypertension. It also helps to decrease the risk of complications (including stroke, heart disease, myocardial infarction, and others). Include the following foods in your diet such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.
- Physical Activity – Try to get 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week. It is about 30 minutes five days a week. Exercise will help you to strengthen your cardiovascular system.
- Manage Stress – Physical exercises are a good way to decrease stress. However, other activities also may be helpful such as yoga, muscle relaxation, massage, deep breathing, meditation, and others.
- Stop Smoking and Alcohol Use – Healthcare providers will recommend quitting smoking if you are diagnosed with high blood pressure. Chemicals that tobacco smoke contains can damage tissues and harden blood vessel walls. Additionally, chronic alcohol use may also increase your blood pressure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the effects of hypertension on the body?
While most people with this condition have no symptoms, some complications of high blood pressure include damaged arteries, heart, brain, and others. Damage to the heart may lead to arrhythmia, sudden cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and heart failure.
What are the potential symptoms of high blood pressure?
Hypertension is considered a silent killer because usually, a person with this condition does not experience any symptoms. However, there are some symptoms that may occur in some people, for example, nosebleeds, blurred vision, shortness of breath, dizziness, headaches, and chest pain.
Are foods that may help to decrease blood pressure?
Include the following foods in your diet because they may help to improve your heart health. Examples include avocado, pomegranate, beets, lemons, dark chocolate, dried apricots, coffee, almonds, pumpkin seeds, pistachios, and others. Talk with a doctor for more details.
