Information Regarding Hypertension

Hypertension may be more of a mental problem but it can lead to various kinds of health problems and other ailments if it is not treated on time. Also the symptoms of hypertension are often ignored as minor problems and hence this ailment can aggravate over a period of time. Thus it is essential that information related to hypertension should be availed so that you can help your friends, family and yourself to diagnose this disease in the early stages. It has been seen that hypertension can be fatal in many instances and this problem should not be ignored as a minor one.

The term Hypertension is the medical term for a condition where the arterial blood pressure is consistently above the normal range. Basically the blood pressure reading consists of two numbers and the numbers at the top represents systolic pressure, which is also the amount of pressure that the heart generates when pumping blood out through the arteries. And the number below represents diastolic pressure, which is the amount of pressure in the arteries when the heart is at rest, in between beats. Hypertension is denoted when the reading is above the 140 (systolic)/90 (diastolic) ranges.

It should be remembered that hypertension may be a risk factor for kidney disease, heart disease, stroke and vascular disease and thus those who are suffering from hypertension have a risk of suffering heart attacks and strokes. This also puts a strain on the heart by increasing its need for oxygen and there are various other kinds of affects of the same also. There are different causes of hypertension and these include hereditary and environmental factors also. The hereditary factors include hereditary or genetic tendencies while the environmental factors include unhealthy eating habits, stress, smoking, and lack of exercise.

Apart from these there are various other factors that affect the blood pressure and these are salt content in the body, level of various hormones, volume of water in the body and obesity. Basically the identification and diagnosis of hypertension at can significantly reduce the risk of developing heart attacks or strokes. There are different kinds of hypertension but the two major ones are essential or primary hypertension and secondary hypertension.

The Primary hypertension is found in 95 per cent of the cases and it has no definite cause. The combined causes of these hypertensions are increase in blood pressure due to external factors. The secondary hypertension is found in five to ten per cent the cases and the cause for the same is a specific defect in one of the organs in the body. Some other kinds of hypertension are malignant hypertension, isolated systolic hypertension, white coat hypertension and resistant hypertension.

Some common measures to reduce blood pressure or get rid of hypertension and these are loss of weight, stopping smoking, watching what you eat and restraining unhealthy forms of fats and carbs in your body. Reduction of salt intake and eating more of fruits and vegetables high in potassium are recommended to lower blood pressure. Also try and exercise and get into meditation courses for reducing the risks of these diseases.

• John Palsson
• 16/11/2008, 6:00 AM
• 0 Comments