Hypertension/High Blood Pressure: Causes, Symptoms, Prevention and Control

What is Hypertension/High blood pressure?

High blood pressure or Hypertension refers to a condition in which the blood is pumped around the body at a high pressure than normal.

Types of High Blood Pressure.

There are two main types of blood pressure,i.e Primary and Secondary high blood pressure.

Primary High blood pressure.

Primary or Essential , high blood pressure is the most common type of high blood pressure. This type of high blood pressure tends to develop over years as the person ages.

Secondary high blood pressure.

Secondary high blood pressure is caused by another medical condition or use of certain medicines. This type usually resolves after the cause has been treated or removed.

Other Names for high blood pressure.

High blood pressure(HBP) is also called Hypertension (HI-per-TEN- shun). When HBP has no known cause , it might be called essential hypertension, primary hypertension or idiopathic hypertension. When another condition causes HBP, it's sometimes called secondary hypertension.

What is considered High Blood Pressure.

High blood pressure is present when a person's blood pressure is persistently above 140/90mmHg. It's one of the major risk factors of coronary heart disease and bleeding in the brain. Untreated high blood pressure can often lead to damage of various body organs in the long term, in particular the heart and blood vessels, leading to stroke, heart attacks or renal failure.

What are the causes of Hypertension.

The exact cause of high blood pressure are not known. However some factors may play a role in it's development, Including:

• Smocking.
• Being Overweight.
• Lack of physical activity.
• To o much salt in the diet.
• Drinking too much alcohol.
• Old age
• Family history of blood pressure (Heridity)
• Having chronic kidney disease.

Symptoms of High Blood Pressure.

High blood usually cause no symptoms and high blood pressure often is labeled the silent killer. People who have high blood pressure typically do not know it until their blood pressure is measured.

Sometimes people with markedly elevated blood pressure may develop;

• Headache.
• Dizziness.
• Blurred vision.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Chest pain and shortness of breath.

The following types of organ damage are commonly seen in chronic high blood pressure.

• Heart attack.
• Heart failure.
• Kidney failure.
• Eye damage with progressive vision loss.
• Peripheral arterial disease causing leg pain with walking (cluadication)
• Outpunching of the aorta, called Aneurysms.

How to prevent Hypertension.

To avoid a hypertension diagnosis make these healthy lifestyle choices:

Maintain a healthy Weight.

Blood Pressure often increases as weight increases. Being Overweight also can cause disrupted breathing while you sleep (sleep Apnea), which further raises your blood pressure.

Exercise regularly.

Get moving to prevent Hypertension. The more exercise you get, the better, but even a little bit can help control blood pressure. Moderate exercise for about 30 minutes three times a week is a good start.

Eat a balanced diet.

Eating healthy foods can help keep your blood pressure under control. Get plenty of fruits and vegetables, especially those rich in potassium, and limit your intake of excess calories, fat, and sugar.

Cut back on salt.

The higher the sodium intake, the higher the blood pressure. You can cut back on your total salt intake by avoiding high sodium packaged and processed foods and not adding extra salt to your meals.

Limit the alcohol intake.

Drinking too much alcohol can lead to high blood pressure. For women, that means no more than one drink a day and for men.

Stop smocking.

Each cigarettes you smoke increases your blood pressure for many minutes after you finish. Quiting smocking helps your blood pressure return to normal. People who quit smocking, regardless if age , have substantial increase in life expectancy.

Reduce your stress.

Chronic stress is an important contributor to high blood pressure.Occasional stress also can contribute to high blood pressure if you react to stress by eating unhealthy food, drinking alcohol or smocking.

Monitor your blood pressure at home and see your doctor regularly.

Home monitoring can help you keep tabs on your blood pressure, make certain your lifestyle changes are working and alert you and your doctor to potential health complications. Blood pressure monitors are available widely and without a prescription. Talk to your doctor about home monitoring before you get started.

How to control High Blood Pressure.

• Do regular exercise/yoga
• Eating healthy diet rich in fiber whole grains, fruits, Vegetables.
• Avoid deeply fried foods.
• Use healthy cooking options like boiling, grilling , stewing.
• Reduce salt intake.
• Use black pepper powder, cumin seed powder, lemon juice, or salt free seasonings to increase the taste of food instead of using salt.
• Avoid using whole milk and it's products, use low fat or skimmed milk instead.
• Avoid alcoholic drinks or just have a glass of red wine.
• Quit smocking.
• Avoid coffee and other caffeinated drinks and beverages.
• Avoid canned and preserved foods.
• Always read food labels and ingredients if food items you purchase.
• Eat frequent small meals.
• Munch on to healthy snacks like unsalted nuts, fruits, and vegetables.
• Never do overeating.
• Reduce stress.
• Drink enough water and healthy fluids 
• Sleep properly.