Hypertension(High Blood Pressure): Causes, Symptoms and Treatments

Hypertension or High blood pressure is a chronic medical condition. It is generally generated when the blood is forcefully pumped through the arteries at an elevated level of pressure. Hypertension is declared when systolic blood pressure is measured more than 140mmHg and diastolic blood pressure is more than 90mmHg.

Records of surveys reveal that Hypertension is majorly prevalent among people who come between 35 – 60years of age. In some percentage, it could be found in the teenagers and even the children.  Hypertension if not managed properly in time, could lead to cardiovascular diseases.

Types of Hypertension:

There are 2 types of Hypertension-Primary hypertension and Secondary Hypertension.

1. Primary hypertension – this type of hypertension develops slowly over the years, and in most of the cases, the causes remain unknown.
2. Secondary hypertension – The secondary Hypertension appears suddenly and the causes of this type of hypertension can be apparently diagnosed.

Causes:

Though as we discussed that most of the hypertension cases are diagnosed with unknown causes, yet there are some causes which becomes the causes of Primary Hypertension. These are:

• Increasing age,
• Family history
• Regular stress
• Anxiety
• Smoking
• Diabetes,
• Access in taking of salt
• Obesity
• Kidney abnormalities
• A high fat consume
• Stress at work and in the daily life.
• Over-weight
• Lack of exercise

The causes that are listed below can be responsible for the secondary Hypertension.

• Endocrine tumors
• Drugs like cocaine
• Hormonal disturbance
• Chronic kidney disease
• Chronic alcohol abuse

Symptoms of Hypertension:

Morning headache, blurred vision, dyspnoea (breathing difficulties) and elevated values of certain components in the blood, like urea and serum creatinine.

Consequences:

Hypertension is considered to be the leading cause of cardiovascular mortality. It can create cardiovascular diseases. 

Symptoms of hypertension: In the normal or primary condition, Hypertension may go unnoticed. It means, in the primary most the persons are unaware of it, however when hypertension causes more complications like sleeplessness, coma, head ache, confusion or virtual disturbance, blurred vision, dyspnoea, fatigue, tachycardia (rapid heart rate) dizziness, palpitations, and nosebleeds. Hypertension also becomes the causes arterial aneurysm or renal disease, stroke, heart failure, etc.

Hypertension elevates the level of certain components in patient’s blood, like urea and serum creatinine, etc.

Mechanisms of hypertension

The one or more direct mechanisms can be responsible for hypertension in people:

• The tension is increased in the blood vessel walls.
• Blood volume is increased by elevated levels of salt and lipids in the blood and hold back water.
• Blood vessels become hardened and inelastic by arteriosclerosis.

Precautions to avoid the Hypertension:

In case of Hypertension, our lifestyle matters and we can avoid the problem of hyper tension, by bringing some changes in our lifestyle. The following things can make us free from the chronic medical condition of hypertension:

• Regular exercise
• Bringing Happiness in our daily life
• Reducing salt consume
• Reduction of the consume of fat-especially saturated fat
• Weight reduction
• Relaxing from the hectic mental work
• Taking sound sleep
• Using stress reduction techniques like meditation and autogenic training

Medical treatments of hypertension

As the causes of the Hypertensions are different that is why multiple drugs are used to treat Hypertension. The medicines give relax to brain and heart and control the blood pressure to right level- less than 140/90mmHg.

1. Calcium channel blockers: This reduces tension in arteries by expanding them and thus creates more blood flow. This also relaxes the heart muscles to beat slowly.
2. ACE inhibitors: This stops the production of hormone (angiotensin 11) that makes the blood vessels narrow while improving the blood flow.
3. Angiotensin11 receptor antagonists – this may be used where ACE inhibitors are not tolerated. They are used instead of stopping the production of angiotensin 11,
4. Diuretics – this help the body to get rid of excess salt and fluids via the kidneys. They normally relax blood vessels and reduce the strain on the circulation.
5. Beta blockers – this block the effect of the hormone adrenaline and the sympathetic nervous system on the body. It relaxes the heart so that it can beat slowly.

Natural treatment:

Health experts suggest that following foods can help you reduce blood pressure

• Fish oil and fat fish
• Olive oil
• Vitamin B3,
• Inositol,
• Turmeric extract
• Gum guggul extract.

The foods which have the anti-hypertension ingredients like potassium, magnesium, calcium, vitamin C and fatty acids from marine sources.