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Hypertension is the foremost cause of heart attacks, cardiovascular diseases and stoke in the United

States. Almost 73 million people in the United States are suffering from high blood pressure and the

count is likely to increase over time.

What is hypertension?

Hypertension, commonly known as high blood pressure, is one of the most prevalent cardiovascular

disease.

If you are having high blood pressure, it’ll certainly become obvious during routine checkup. You

can actually have hypertension (high blood pressure) for years and years without any sign or

symptom. The condition is such that symptoms do not manifest very easily. Uncontrolled hypertension

increases the risk of complicated health diseases and especially conditions pertaining to the heart,

such as stroke and heart attack.

Blood pressure is basically the force at which the blood pushes against the walls of the artery. Our

blood pressure is measured by the amount of blood pumped by the heart and the resistance in our

arteries to resist the flow of blood. The more the blood is pumped by the heart, the narrower our

arteries would be and the higher would be the blood pressure levels.

 Hypertension tends to develop over the years, and it primarily affects everyone at least once in

their lifetime. However, some of the cases of prolonged hypertension lead to critical complications

eventually. Fortunately, it is now easy to detect high blood pressure levels, and once it has been

identified that you are suffering from high blood pressure, you along with your doctor can work

towards improving the conditions and controlling the blood pressure levels.

Types of Hypertension

There are 2 major types of hypertension and there are 4 other types that are not found frequently.

The 2 major types of hypertension include:

1.Primary Hypertension or Essential Hypertension: This is the most common type of hypertension that

has no particular or underlying cause. Some risk factors and lifestyle habits are often considered

to be the associated cause of this type of hypertension and can as well increase the levels of blood

pressure.

2.Secondary Hypertension: This type of hypertension is usually caused by some reversible factors

such as kidney problems or impaired function, tumors, thyroid dysfunction, over activity of adrenal

gland, sleep apnea, pregnancy, recreational drugs, medications, foods and drinks; and can be cured

in some cases.

The 4 less frequent types of hypertension are:

Malignant Hypertension: It is the most severe type of hypertension, which is progressive in nature.

It can even lead to organ damage. Unless treated properly, it can be fatal within the next 5 years

for most of the patients. Kidney damage, heart failure and/or brain hemorrhage are the main causes

of death. Nevertheless, aggressive treatments can reverse the conditions for the better.

Isolated Systolic Hypertension: This type of hypertension shows a remarkable rise in the systolic

pressure levels; it is never less than 160. This is a common condition in the elderly and is caused

due to age-related stiffness of arteries. The arteries lose its elasticity due to artioslcerosis, a

disease and also the Western lifestyle contributes in many ways to the cause of is condition.

White Coat Hypertension: Also known as anxiety-induced hypertension; stress and anxiety are the main

cause of this type of hypertension. Some life-style modifications, exercise, less alcohol and salt

consumption and weight loss can help in curing this state. A high-fiber and low fat diet can also

help.

Resistant Hypertension: When the blood pressure levels do not go below 140/90, it is considered as a

condition of Resistant Hypertension.

Symptoms:

Hypertension does not have any specific signs or symptoms associated with it, even if the blood

pressure levels are very high.

Although people experiencing high-blood pressure at the early states might experience dizziness,

dull headaches, frequent nosebleeds and fatigue, but none of these can be the symptoms of

hypertension as these are general symptoms. However, these symptoms do not manifest in the early

stages of hypertensions; these occur only when the blood pressure levels have reached its advanced

stages, which is the life-threatening stage.

Tests

Blood pressure can be measured with a special instrument having an inflammable arm cuff and a gauge

for measuring pressure. The blood pressure reading is given in mm Hg (millimeters of mercury) and

has two numbers.

Blood pressure can be measures with two numbers – the first number is the systolic pressure and the

second number is known as the diastolic pressure. A healthy adult usually has a blood pressure level

of 120/80, which is normal. However, in some cases a person might have higher levels of blood

pressure, such as 130/90, which is normal for him/her. But if the pressure level rises to 200/120,

it is extremely high and demands medical assistance.

Modern blood pressure machines are now design for ease of use with automatic cuff inflation and

clinically proven accuracy. Omron are world wide leaders in the field of blood pressure machine

which now includes intellisence technology for fast and error free blood pressure reading with a

touch of the finger.

People having blood pressure levels higher than 120/80 are known always at the risk of developing

hypertension.

Both these numbers of blood pressure reading are very important. But after the age of 50, the

systolic reading becomes more significant. Cases of Isolated systolic hypertension are commonly

noticed in people aged 50 years and above, in which the diastolic pressure remains normal while the

systolic pressure is very high.

Furthermore, people suffering from hypertension might also be recommended some routine tests like

urinalysis, ECG and blood tests that help in measuring the electrical activity of the heart.

Treatment

There are many treatment options available for decreasing blood pressure levels and bringing it back

to the normal state. Some of the commonly used drugs are:

Beta Blockers: These drugs help in reducing the workload of the heart and in opening the blood

vessels, thus causing the heart to beat much slower and with lesser force, forexample Atenolol and

metoprolol.
Diuretics: Diuretics, also known as “water pills” help the kidneys to eliminate water and sodium,

thus reducing the volume of blood. Forexample Furosemide,bendrofluazide
ACE inhibitors: These medicines help in relaxing our blood vessels by actually blocking development

of the natural chemical which narrows the blood vessels. People having hypertension along with

coronary artery disease are specially treated with ACE inhibitors.Forexample Inhibace
Calcium channel blockers: These also have similar effects as ACE inhibitors and it helps in slowing

the heart rate. Forexample Cardizem
HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor: Help to prevent fat deposits in the blood vessels. For example Lipitor.

Some other medications can be given when the conditions are more severe in nature. Drugs such as

alpha blockers, alpha-beta blockers, vasodilators and central-acting agents are usually recommended

for serious cases.

Prevention:

Always check your blood pressure levels.
Maintain a standard body weight. Lose weight if you are obese as obesity is a major cause of

hypertension.
Eat a high blood pressure diet that contains minimum salt and sugar.
Eat healthy foods and indulge in the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. DASH diet that

emphasizes on vegetables, fruits, low fat dairy products and whole grains.  Have potassium in your

diet.
Exercise and be physically active.
Quit smoking.
Manage your stress levels.
Practice healthy relaxation techniques and slow deep breathing techniques.

If you are suffering from hypertension, do not forget to take your medicines on time. Visit your doctor regularly and check your blood pressure numbers to be healthy and hearty!
If you blood pressure is slightly elevated you can also try natural supplement such as Thompsons Hawthorn tablets.