Hypertension is a condition whereby a person’s blood pressure is elevated. This is due to increased force of blood pushing through the blood vessels which is caused by increased narrowing of the arteries that is blood pressure which is above 120 over 80
Symptoms
Hypertension is generally a silent condition and many people don’t usually experience any symptoms hence the name the Silent Killer and it may take years or decades for the condition to reach levels severe enough that symptoms become obvious
Symptoms of severe hypertension
Chest pains
Flushing
Headaches
Blood spots in the eyes (subconjuctival hemorrhage)
Dizziness
Causes of hypertension
There are 2 types of hypertension and these are:
(i) Essential /Primary hypertension
(ii) Secondary hypertension
Essential / Primary hypertension
Develops over time and a number of factors play a role in the development of essential hypertension and these include :
Genes: some people are genetically predisposed to hypertension and this may be due to mutated genes or genetic abnormalities inherited from parents
Age: Individuals over the age of 65 are more at risk of hypertension
Being obese: being obese can lead to some cardiac issues like hypertension
High alcohol consumption: women who habitually drink more than 1 drink per day and men who have more than 2 drinks per day may be at an increased risk for hypertension
Living a sedentary lifestyle: lowered levels of activity /fitness can lead to hypertension.
Being diabetic /having a metabolic syndrome: living with this disease predisposes a person to hypertension
High sodium intake
Secondary hypertension
Occurs quickly and can be more severe than primary hypertension and many factors lead to secondary hypertension. These include :
Kidney disease
Obstructive sleep apnea
Congenital heart defects
Problems with your heart
Side effects of drugs use of illegal drugs
Adrenal gland problems
Certain endocrine tumors
Treatment
Treatment of hypertension depends on the type of hypertension
Primary hypertension
Here lifestyle changes may help reduce a person’s high blood pressure and if it is not really effective medication may be prescribed .
Secondary hypertension
Here of the hypertension is caused by an underlying condition, treatment will focus on that other condition
Medications for hypertension
Beta blockers
Diuretics
ACE inhibitors
Angiotensin II receptor blockers
Calcium channel blockers
Alpha 2 agonists
Complications /effects on the body
-Damaged arteries
-Damaged heart eg heart failure, heart attack, sudden cardiac death
-Damaged brain – temporary blockage of blood to the brain
-Stroke
Developing a healthy diet– this helps to reduce complications and managing hypertension under control.
Increase physical activity, that is about 30 minutes five times per week
Managing stress- exercise is a great way to manage stress. Other ways include yoga, meditation, deep breathing , massage, tai chi
Quiting smoking and limiting alcohol
Reducing sodium intake by eating more fresh foods, fruits and limiting fast foods
Monitoring your blood pressure regularly
