High Blood Pressure

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High blood pressure level (HBP) is a life-threatening condition that can lead to coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, kidney failure, and other wellness problems. HBP that is affiliated with the sudden [withdrawal] of various anti-hypertensive medications is named “Rebound Hypertension”. Since there are commonly no symptoms, HBP is named a “silent killer” because it can cause life-threatening problems such as stroke, heart failure, heart attack and kidney failure. HBP or hypertension means high pressure (tension) in the arteries and can harm your blood vessels. It does not mean excessive emotional tension, though emotional tension and stress can temporarily increase your blood pressure. High blood pressure with no known cause is called primary (formerly known as essential) hypertension. HBP is also estimated to impact about two million American teens and children and the Journal of the American Medical Association (AMA) reports that many of them are under-diagnosed. High blood pressure is one of several risk factors that can increase your chance of developing heart disease, a stroke, and other serious conditions. HBP is a measured blood pressure that is 140/90 mm Hg or above each time it is taken. High blood pressure in adults is defined as a consistently elevated blood pressure level of 140 mm Hg systolic and 90 mm Hg diastolic or higher. It can be just a high systolic pressure, for example, 170/70 mm Hg. HBP is more common in people with diabetes. High blood pressure level (also known as hypertension) occurs when your blood moves through your arteries at a higher pressure than normal. Since HBP can cause such great damage, it’s important to know how to lower your high blood pressure. High blood pressure has become the second most common reason for medical examination office visits in the United States. HBP typically develops over many years, and it affects most everyone eventually. HBP contributes to 75% of all strokes and heart attacks. It increases the risk for a heart attack by up to five times, depending on the severity of the hypertension. HBP and some of the medications used to treat it can increase the risk for developing diabetes. HBP causes 30% of all cases of end-stage kidney disease. HBP can injure the blood vessels in the eyes, causing a condition called retinopathy. High blood pressure is more common among blacks and usually develops at an earlier age. High blood pressure that results from a specific condition, habit, or medication is called secondary hypertension.

Causes of High Blood Pressure

In most people, the specific cause of high blood pressure is not known and this is called primary hypertension.

Causes of Secondary Hypertension

Secretion of excess aldosterone (a steroid hormone secreted by the adrenal cortex that regulates salt and water balance)
Atherosclerotic narrowing of the renal artery (the major artery supplying the kidney)
Oral contraceptives
Hormonal changes or imbalances
Adrenocortical hyperfunction, such as Cushing’s disease and syndrome, primary hyperaldosteronism, hereditary or congenital syndromes
Acromegaly (a disease caused by the secretion of excessive amounts of growth hormone)
Psychogenic (of mental or emotional origin)
Damage to the central nervous system, such as damage to the spinal cord, increased intra-cranial pressure, or tumors
Miscellaneous:
Sleep apnea
Constriction or narrowing of the aorta
High concentrations of calcium in the bloodstream
Carcinoid tumors that secrete serotonin
Toxemia of pregnancy

One recognized risk factor is a regularly high intake of salt (exceeding 6 grams per day). High blood pressure with no known cause is called primary (formerly called essential) hypertension. The nicotine in cigarettes and other tobacco products causes your blood vessels to constrict and your heart to beat faster, which temporarily raises your blood pressure. In some people, alcohol causes blood pressure level to rise up quite a lot. Understanding what causes your blood imperativeness to rise is quite important in figuring out how to lower it.

Women

Since women may be more sensitive than men to the blood pressure effects of alcohol, they should drink no more than fourteen units of alcoholic beverage per week (and no more than three units in any one day). Those women with heart disease risk factors (such as high blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol levels) have a greater risk of developing pre-eclampsia. The British Medical Journal reported in 2007 that women who have had pre-eclampsia are at increased risk for later heart disease. After menopause, women are at higher risk to develop high blood pressure. Those taking oral contraceptives can experience a small but detectable increase in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, commonly in the normal range. Females under a certain age tend to develop high blood pressure level less frequently than men mainly due to the protective effects of estrogen. Older women (60 years and above) currently have the highest rates of hypertension. Mortality rates from hypertension are higher in women than in men. Generally about a third of African-American men and women have hypertension and may account for over 40% of all deaths in this group.

Treatment for HBP

Treatment depends on how high your blood pressure is, whether you have other wellness problems such as diabetes, pregnancy and whether any organs have already been damaged. Treatment of primary high blood pressure, especially moderate or severe high blood pressure, decreases the risk of heart failure, coronary artery disease, heart attack, abnormal heartbeats, stroke, and kidney disease, and it reduces the risk of death from these conditions. Treatment with medicine is often started in addition to lifestyle changes if you have other risk factors for heart disease, if there is grounds of damage to organs, or if you have stage 1 or 2 high blood pressure. This treatment must be highly individualised and founded on your risk factors, such as diabetes, smoking, and heart disease. Treatment for the various secondary causes of high blood pressure, such as narrowing of the kidney arteries or diseases of the adrenal gland, may include other medicines and/or surgery. Most clinicians would regard some type of treatment for patients whose diastolic pressure level (the bottom number) is above 95 and/or whose systolic pressure (the top number) is above 160. Treatment may include a low-fat, low-salt diet, losing weight, quitting smoking, reducing alcohol intake, and getting more exercise. Treatment is most effective when patient and doctor communicate well and collaborate on the treatment program. Treatment often includes prescription medication, natural remedies, or a combination of both.

Conclusion

There is no ideal medication for high blood pressure level and many experts recommend a step-by-step care program. Life-style modifications refer to certain specific recommendations for changes in habits, diet and exercise. Achieving the recommended blood pressure goals can trim down the risk of needing dialysis or experiencing a heart attack or stroke. If you have pre-hypertension, your doctor will counsel the same lifestyle changes to bring your blood pressure down to normal range. Some doctors recommend daily Aspirin for their patients who are affected by high blood pressure. Most doctors recommend that patients try to restore a healthy blood pressure level by first making lifestyle changes. The main point to take with you is that you can make lifestyle changes that result in lowering your high blood pressure while at the same time help you head off a spirit attack or stroke.

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