How To Deal With High Blood Pressure: A Guide For Coping.
Hypertension is a condition in which the blood pressure is chronically elevated, typically above 140 mmHg systolic or 90 mmHg diastolic. It is also called "high blood pressure" and commonly abbreviated as "HBP".
High blood pressure can have many adverse health consequences, including stroke, heart attack, congestive heart failure and kidney disease. High blood pressure can be controlled and treated without medication with lifestyle changes such as weight loss and regular exercise. Learn more about hypertension and what you can do to reduce your risk of developing it.
Definition of hypertension
Hypertension is a chronic medical condition in which the blood pressure is chronically elevated, typically to greater than 140/90 mmHg. It is also known as high blood pressure and commonly abbreviated as "HBP".
Symptoms
Some people may not have any symptoms of high blood pressure, but others will experience a variety of symptoms. The most common symptom is a chronic headache. These headaches can be very debilitating and may even awaken the person from sleep at night. Some individuals complain of dizziness, lightheadedness or nausea.
The severity of these symptoms varies depending on the degree to which the high blood pressure is present. As the high blood pressure worsens, so do the symptoms. Individuals with severe hypertension will often experience chest pain, shortness of breath, confusion and diminished vision.
Who is at risk?
Hypertension is a condition that affects up to 1 in 3 adults worldwide.
The risk of developing hypertension increases with age, starting from about 20% at the age of 30 and then increasing to 60% by the age of 80. Hypertension can also affect children and adolescents, but it is usually diagnosed in adulthood.
Certain ethnicities are more likely to develop hypertension than others. For example, it has been observed that 30-50% of African Americans have high blood pressure in their late 40s, which is almost twice as many as Caucasians.
The increased risk in African Americans may be due to an extra copy of a gene called ACE or other factors such as diet and lifestyle choices.
Causes of high blood pressure
The causes of high blood pressure are complex and related to both genetic factors and environmental factors. It is not yet known what proportion of cases are due to each factor.
A number of factors can contribute to hypertension, including age, gender, race (African-Americans), obesity, excess salt in the diet, insufficient physical exercise or too much alcohol consumption.
Hypertension can be caused by kidney disease; sleep apnea; coarctation of the aorta; hyperthyroidism; chronic kidney disease; raised intracranial pressure; pregnancy (especially if the mother is older than thirty-five); excessive production of vasopressin (called "antidiuretic hormone" or ADH); birth control pills; excessive intake of caffeine; and certain prescription medications such as steroids.
Medications that may lead to elevated blood pressure include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), thiazide diuretics, beta-adrenergic blocking agents, alpha-blocking agents or combinations thereof.
How to treat hypertension without medication?
High blood pressure can be treated without medication. There are many ways to reduce the risk of developing hypertension, including weight loss and regular exercise.
Hypertension is a condition in which the blood pressure is chronically elevated, typically above 140 mmHg systolic or 90 mmHg diastolic. It is also called "high blood pressure" and commonly abbreviated as "HBP".
High blood pressure can have many adverse health consequences, including stroke, heart attack, congestive heart failure and kidney disease. High blood pressure can be controlled and treated without medication with lifestyle changes such as weight loss and regular exercise. Learn more about hypertension and what you can do to reduce your risk of developing it.
The way you live your life affects your blood pressure--it's important to make healthy lifestyle choices! Read on for more information on the causes of high blood pressure, how it can be treated without medication, and what you can do to lower your risk of hypertension.
Medications
to Control Hypertension
Although many people with high blood pressure can have a healthy life without medication, some people need to take medication to control their blood pressure.
There are three types of drugs that are used to lower your blood pressure: beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, and diuretics. These medications block the production of certain chemical messengers. This leads to a decrease in the force of your heart's contractions, which decreases the amount of work it does and lowers your blood pressure.
Doctors will often prescribe these drugs together with lifestyle changes as a first line of defense against hypertension. If this isn't enough to control your blood pressure, other medications may be prescribed as well as lifestyle changes.
Lifestyle changes
That can lower your risk of hypertension.
The best way to reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure is to make lifestyle changes. It's even more important if you have a family history of high blood pressure or other conditions that increase your chance of developing the condition.
Some examples of lifestyle changes you can make include:
* Reducing salt in your diet * Eating a balanced diet and reducing intake of processed foods * Maintaining a healthy weight * Getting regular physical activity * Drinking alcohol responsibly.
Conclusion
Hypertensive emergency (HE) has a complicated etiology, various pathophysiological alterations, and a high mortality and disability rate; thus, swift, acceptable, safe, and regulated blood pressure should be conducted as soon as possible. In all hypertension situations, intravenous antihypertensive medications with rapid onset and high controllability should be used. Drugs should be chosen based on the mechanisms of various illnesses, and they can be administered alone or in combination to reach the desired blood pressure. When the condition is stabilized, switch to oral antihypertensive medications as soon as feasible, and blood pressure treatment should continue after discharge to avoid poor blood pressure control from reoccurring hypertensive episodes.