High blood pressure

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE (HYPERTENSION) AND HYPERTENSIVE EMERGENCIES

High blood pressure or Hypertension is a common condition that affects the body’s arteries. Also, high blood pressure is equal to cardiac output times total peripheral resistance. If you have high blood pressure, the force of the blood pushing against the artery walls is consistently too high and the heart has to work harder to pump blood.

Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). In general, hypertension is a blood pressure reading of 130/80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) or higher.

Ranges

Normal blood pressure. Blood pressure is 120/80 mm Hg or lower.
Elevated blood pressure. The top number ranges from 120 to 129 mm Hg and the bottom number is below, not above, 80 mm Hg.
Stage 1 hypertension. The top number ranges from 130 to 139 mm Hg or the bottom number is between 80- and 89-mm Hg.
Stage 2 hypertension. The top number is 140 mm Hg or higher or the bottom number is 90 mm Hg or higher.

NOTE: Blood pressure higher than 180/120 mm Hg is considered a hypertensive emergency or crisis. This put you at risk of getting Stroke, Heart Failure, Kidney failure, Damage of the retina (Eyes) retinopathy.

It’s important to have your blood pressure checked at least every two years starting at age 18. Some people need more-frequent checks. Basing from my experience there are many patients with this condition but they are not aware.

Causes

Blood pressure is determined by two things: the amount of blood the heart pumps and how hard it is for the blood to move through the arteries. The more blood the heart pumps and the narrower the arteries, the higher the blood pressure.

There are two main types of high blood pressure.

1. Primary Hypertension, also called essential Hypertension

For most adults, there's no identifiable cause of high blood pressure. This type of high blood pressure is called primary hypertension or essential hypertension. It tends to develop gradually over many years. Plaque buildup in the arteries, called atherosclerosis, increases the risk of high blood pressure.

2. Secondary Hypertension

This type of high blood pressure is caused by an underlying condition. It tends to appear suddenly and cause higher blood pressure than does primary hypertension. Conditions and medicines that can lead to secondary hypertension include:

• Adrenal gland tumors
• Blood vessel problems present at birth, also called congenital heart defects
• Cough and cold medicines, some pain relievers, birth control pills, and other prescription drugs
• Illegal drugs, such as cocaine and amphetamines
• Kidney disease
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Thyroid problems

Symptoms

Majority don’t have any symptoms
Headache
Palpitations
Chest Pain
Legs are swollen
General Fatigue
Blurred Vision
Stroke

Risk factors

Older age.
Being overweight or obese.
Not being physically active.
High-salt diet.
drinking too much alcohol

Complications

High blood pressure can cause many heart problems, including:

Coronary artery disease. Arteries narrowed and damaged by high blood pressure have trouble supplying blood to the heart. Too little blood flow to the heart can lead to chest pain (angina), irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias) or a heart attack.
Enlarged left heart. High blood pressure forces the heart to work harder to pump blood to the rest of the body. This causes the lower left heart chamber (left ventricle) to thicken. A thickened left ventricle increases the risk of heart attack, heart failure and sudden cardiac death.
Heart failure. Over time, the strain on the heart caused by high blood pressure can cause the heart muscle to weaken and work less efficiently. Eventually, the overwhelmed heart begins to fail.

Damage to the Brain

The brain depends on a nourishing blood supply to work properly. High blood pressure may affect the brain in the following ways:

Transient ischemic attack (TIA). Sometimes called a ministroke, a TIA is a brief, temporary disruption of blood supply to the brain. Hardened arteries or blood clots caused by high blood pressure can cause TIA. TIA is often a warning sign of a full-blown stroke.
Stroke (Cerebral Vascular Accidents) A stroke occurs when part of the brain doesn't get enough oxygen and nutrients, causing brain cells to die. Blood vessels damaged by high blood pressure can narrow, rupture or leak. High blood pressure can also cause blood clots to form in the arteries leading to the brain, blocking blood flow and potentially causing a stroke.
Dementia. Narrowed or blocked arteries can limit blood flow to the brain, leading to a certain type of dementia (vascular dementia). A stroke that interrupts blood flow to the brain can also cause vascular dementia.
Mild cognitive impairment. This condition is a transition stage between the changes in understanding and memory that generally come with aging and the more-serious problems caused by dementia. Studies suggest that high blood pressure can lead to mild cognitive impairment.

Damage to the Kidneys

Kidney filter excess fluid and waste from the blood a process that requires healthy blood vessels. High blood pressure can damage the blood vessels in and leading to the kidneys. Having diabetes in addition to high blood pressure can worsen the damage.

Kidney problems caused by high blood pressure include:

Kidney scarring (glomerulosclerosis). This type of kidney damage occurs when tiny blood vessels within the kidney become scarred and unable to effectively filter fluid and waste from the blood. Glomerulosclerosis can lead to kidney failure.
Kidney failure. High blood pressure is one of the most common causes of kidney failure. Damaged blood vessels prevent kidneys from effectively filtering waste from the blood, allowing dangerous levels of fluid and waste to collect. Treatment may include dialysis or kidney transplantation.

High blood pressure can damage the tiny, delicate blood vessels that supply blood to the eyes, causing:

Damage to the blood vessels in the retina (retinopathy). Damage to the blood vessels in the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye (retina) can lead to bleeding in the eye, blurred vision and complete loss of vision. Having diabetes in addition to high blood pressure increase the risk of retinopathy.
Fluid buildup under the retina (choroidopathy). Choroidopathy can result in distorted vision or sometimes scarring that impairs vision.
Nerve damage (optic neuropathy). Blocked blood flow can damage the optic nerve, leading to bleeding within the eye or vision loss.

Prevention

Maintain a healthy weight. When it comes to hypertension prevention, your weight is crucial, says who are overweight should try to lose weight.

Eat a balanced diet. Eating healthful foods can help keep your blood pressure under control. Get plenty of fruits and vegetables, and limit your intake of saturated fat, fat,

Cut back on salt. The higher the sodium intake, the higher the blood pressure. You can cut back on your total salt intake by avoiding high-sodium packaged and processed foods and not adding salt to your meals.

Exercise regularly. Physical activity is very crucial and the more exercise you get better, but even a little bit can help control blood pressure. It is advisable to do moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week., two days per week.

Limit alcohol. Drinking too much alcohol can lead to high blood pressure.

Stress. While the link between stress and blood pressure is still being studied, stress is known to contribute to other important risk factors for hypertension, including unhealthy eating and alcohol intake.

Monitor your blood pressure. Make sure that you have your blood pressure measured regularly, either at your doctor’s office or at home. High blood pressure often occurs with no symptoms, so only blood pressure readings will tell you if your blood pressure is on the rise.

Diagnosis

Measure your blood pressure and if it’s for the first-time measurement should be done on both arms. Also, after reaching the health facility the patient should be given at least 5 minutes for resting before blood pressure measurement is done.
Complete Blood Count
Check Blood sugar
Lipid Profile Test
Urinalysis

Treatment

With a variety of Homeopathic remedies this condition can controlled

High blood pressure

High blood pressure