Hypertension is also commonly called high Blood Pressure i.e. above 140/90 and it is severe above 180/120. Hypertension symptoms are not known as such but a person should be carefully observed for the underlying problems or signs as it is a serious, long-term or chronic health problem that may occur due to other illnesses. Therefore, it is important to keep track of the warning signs of Hypertension as prevention is better than cure. It is a primary risk factor for various Cardiovascular diseases including Stroke, Heart Failure, Heart Attack and Aneurysm. It is thus important to keep Blood Pressure under control and preserve a healthy body by preventing occurrence of other lifestyle diseases too. It is related to the Pressure or the force exerted by the Blood against the Blood vessels’ walls. It is very common to occur in today’s lifestyle and affects over one billion people worldwide.The two kinds of Hypertension are known, namely-
-
Primary Hypertension: It is also known as essential Hypertension and it is the high Blood Pressure that doesn’t occur through a known secondary cause.
-
Secondary Hypertension: It is the high Blood Pressure caused due to another medical condition and it can affect our kidneys, heart, arteries or endocrine system. Some of the medications or illegal drugs can also cause secondary Hypertension.
Symptoms of Hypertension
Generally, there are no symptoms or signs specific to Hypertension. However, one can observe headaches, shortness of breath, bleeding of nose and uneasiness in people starting with Hypertension. Until Hypertension reaches its severity, symptoms do not occur intensely.
It is best to prevent Hypertension and related problems by keeping an eye on your Blood Pressure. If you are 40 or older, it is necessary to track your Blood Pressure readings twice or thrice a month or more if you feel uneasiness about your health. Even young people are vulnerable towards it because of today’s lifestyle and lack of exercise, so they are also advised to have knowledge about Hypertension, keep track of their BP and take all measures to keep oneself healthy. Besides manual BP machines, Digital BP machines are also easily available in the market, people can even buy and keep it at home for convenient tracking. Please do not neglect the following symptoms that can be due to development of Hypertension in a person:
Causes of Hypertension
Causes for Hypertension include various factors including Obesity, Hereditary (family history) and other lifestyle factors. It is manageable through proactive and consistent steps such as inculcating the habit of regular physical exercise, meditation and various stress reducing techniques, medications, preventing excess salt and junk food, etc.
Various Factors Contributing to Cause Hypertension Include:
-
Diabetes
-
Pregnancy
-
Cushing syndrome
-
Hyperthyroidism
-
Kidney problems
-
Obesity
-
Adrenal hyperplasia
Prevention of Hypertension
In today’s era, it is important to keep oneself healthy and prevent chronic conditions such as Hypertension. By taking certain steps, one can prevent Hypertension from occurring and even manage it if it already exists. Following are some of the must do activities in day to day life:
-
Reducing salt intake in diet
-
No consumption of alcohol
-
Consumption of plenty of fruits and vegetables
-
Avoiding calorie-rich or junk food
-
Walking for 30-40 minutes daily
-
Alternative regular physical exercise program
-
Meditation or other stress buster activities
-
High Blood Pressure is another name for high Blood Pressure. It causes serious health complications and can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and sometimes death.
-
Blood Pressure is the force that human Blood exerts on the walls of Blood vessels. This Pressure is working on the basis of the resistance of the Blood vessels and how hard the heart must work.
-
Almost half of adults in the United States have high Blood Pressure, but many may not be aware of it.
-
Hypertension is an important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases such as stroke, heart attack, heart failure and aneurysms. Controlling Blood Pressure is important for maintaining good health and reducing the risk of these dangerous conditions.
-
Read below to find out why your Blood Pressure is rising, how to monitor your Blood Pressure, and how to keep your Blood Pressure within normal limits.
Management and Treatment
-
Keeping a track of lifestyle is the standard first-line treatment for Hypertension. Here are some recommendations:
-
Regular Exercise
-
Current guidelines recommend that everyone, including those with high Blood Pressure, do at least 150 minutes of medium-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of high-intensity exercise each week. ..
-
In addition to 150 minutes of exercise, most adults benefit from strength training at least twice a week.
-
People need to exercise at least 5 days a week.
Examples of Suitable Activities are:
1. Walking
2. Jogging
3. Biking
4. Swimming
Relieving Stress
Learning to Avoid and Manage Stress Helps People Control Blood Pressure.
Here are some relaxation techniques that can help reduce stress.
1. Meditation
2. Hot bath
3. Yoga
4. Long walk
-
Avoid alcohol and recreational drugs to manage stress. These can contribute to high Blood Pressure and complications of high Blood Pressure.
-
Smoking can also increase Blood Pressure. Avoiding or quitting smoking reduces the risk of high Blood Pressure, serious heart disease, and other health problems.
Medications
-
People may take certain medications to treat high Blood Pressure. Doctors often recommend low doses first. Antihypertensive drugs usually have few side effects.
-
People with high Blood Pressure may need to combine two or more medications to control their Blood Pressure.
Antihypertensive Drugs Include:
1. Diuretics such as thiazide, chlorthalidone, indapamide
2. Beta blockers and alpha blockers
3. Calcium channel blockers.
4. Central agonist
5. Peripheral adrenergic inhibitor
6. Vasodilator
7. Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor
8. Angiotensin receptor blocker
Drug selection depends on the person and the underlying disease.
-
People who are under the dose of antihypertensive drugs should carefully read the following over-the-counter (OTC) labels.
-
These OTC medications may interact with the medications you are taking to lower your Blood Pressure.
Diet
People can prevent high Blood Pressure by eating good heart nutrition.
-
Reduced salt intake
-
High sodium consumption can lead to high Blood Pressure. The major source of sodium in food is salt.
-
The American Heart Association recommends that people without high Blood Pressure consume less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium per day. This is about the right amount of a teaspoon. People with high Blood Pressure need less than 1,500 mg of sodium per day to control their condition.
-
Reducing salt intake can benefit people with or without high Blood Pressure.
-
Facilitating drinking
-
Moderate to high doses can increase Blood Pressure.
The American Heart Association recommends two glasses a day for men and one for women. Reduce Counts as a drink:
Doctors can help people reduce their alcohol consumption when it is difficult to control their alcohol consumption.
Increase fruits and vegetables and reduce fat
Experts recommend that people with high Blood Pressure prefer foods that are good for heart health, such as:
1. Various fruits and vegetables
2. Legumes such as chickpeas, legumes and lentils
3. Nuts
4. Omega 3 rich fish
4 Twice a week
5. Non-tropical plant oils such as olive oil
6. Skinless poultry and fish
7. Low-fat dairy products
-
Avoid Trans fats, hydrogenated vegetable oils, animal fats, and processed fast foods when planning your diet if a person has high Blood Pressure or wants to maintain moderate Blood Pressure. Is important.
-
Omega 3 fatty acids in oily fish and olive oil have a protective effect on the heart. But these are still bold. They are usually healthy, but people with high Blood Pressure still need to include them in their total fat intake. Weight Management
-
Overweight can contribute to high Blood Pressure. A decrease in Blood Pressure usually follows a loss of weight. This is because the heart does not have to work hard to pump Blood around the body.
-
It helps to have a balanced diet with calorie intake appropriate for your height, gender, and activity level.