Overview

Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a common chronic condition that is often associated with and causes other health problems, such as heart disease. Its onset can be insidious, and affected patients may not be aware of their status until later in life. However, an asymptomatic person still has the same risks of developing more health problems, including heart attacks and strokes.

Symptoms

Hypertension is usually asymptomatic, even at extreme levels.

Patients who do report symptoms typically report headaches, shortness of breath, nosebleeds, and tinnitus (ringing in the ears). However, these symptoms are often nonspecific, and patients with poorly controlled hypertension may not manifest any symptoms.

Blood pressure is often taken routinely during medical visits. If you’re worried, ask your doctor to check your blood pressure at your next visit.

If you are 40 years of age or older, or if you have a family history of hypertension, it is recommended that you have your blood pressure checked routinely.

Alternatively, there are automated blood pressure machines available to buy without a prescription for home monitoring.

types of hypertension

Primary (essential) hypertension

This refers to the group of adults with no identifiable cause for hypertension. It is usually insidious and develops gradually over many years.

secondary hypertension

This refers to the group where there are identifiable causes for hypertension. These causes may include:

• Hormonal imbalances, for example, thyroid problems
• Renal problems
• Occult tumors of the adrenal gland
• congenital birth defects
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• tuxedo
• Alcohol abuse
• drug-induced hypertension

Risk factor’s

• Age. The risk of hypertension increases around the age of 45. It is more common in men than women, although the risk profile for women approaches that of men after menopause.
• Race. Patients of black origin have been found to have a higher tendency to develop hypertension.
• Positive family history of hypertension. There is a genetic link for hypertension.
• High body mass index (BMI) (overweight/obese categories) Patients with a high BMI tend to develop hypertension compared to their lean counterparts.
• General lethargy. Patients who tend to lead inactive lifestyles tend to have higher heart rates and higher BMIs, which in turn increases the risk of hypertension.
• Tuxedo. Smoking causes an increase in blood pressure and, in the long term, causes hardening and narrowing of the blood vessels. This effect is also observed in passive second-hand smokers.
• Sodium (table salt) and potassium intake. Table salt, sodium chloride, when consumed in excessive amounts, causes fluid retention within the body, which in turn increases blood pressure. Potassium, on the other hand, acts in opposition to sodium. Therefore, too much sodium or too little potassium will cause fluctuations in blood pressure. .
• Alcohol consumption. Alcohol causes global effects on the body. Excessive alcohol consumption will cause fluctuations in blood pressure.
• Associated chronic conditions. Chronic kidney failure, diabetes, sleep apnea, etc. and even chronic stress contribute to hypertension.
• Special conditions. Preeclampsia or hypertension during pregnancy, birth defects, are examples of special conditions that cause hypertension.

complications

Cardiac Effects:

• heart attacks – This is by far the most well-known complication of hypertension.
• Cerebrovascular accidents – Commonly known as strokes.
• aneurysms – Long-term high blood pressure can cause the arterial walls to weaken, causing the arteries to bulge and form aneurysms.
• Heart failure – Defined as the inability of the heart to pump blood around the body to meet its required needs, heart failure is a consequence of prolonged and untreated hypertension. Prolonged hypertension causes the heart muscle to thicken, causing uneven contractions that ultimately lead to heart failure.
• Renal insufficiency- It is important to note that while kidney failure can cause high blood pressure, high blood pressure in turn causes the vessels within the kidneys to weaken, resulting in kidney failure.
• Ophthalmologic Complications – Damage to the small blood vessels within the eyeball can lead to visual disturbances or even vision loss in severe cases.
• Non-specific effects – It has been documented that patients with prolonged and untreated hypertension suffer more frequently from poorer mental functioning, memory loss and non-specific clusters of symptoms such as Metabolic Syndrome.

Treatment

It’s important to talk to your treating doctor if you’re worried you might have high blood pressure.

When seeing your doctor, no special preparations are needed, although it is important that you remain calm during the exam, as anxiety can cause an increase in blood pressure readings.

Also keep in mind that the first consultation can be potentially long, as there will be a lot to discuss before starting medications to treat high blood pressure, if any.

You should inform your doctor of the following:

• Any symptoms you have experienced, for example shortness of breath, chest pain, tinnitus, etc.
• Your family history, especially if there is a family history of hypertension.
• Your current medication regimen.
• Your current medical history, especially if you also have associated chronic conditions such as diabetes, thyroid abnormalities, and high cholesterol levels.
• Your current lifestyle in all honesty: this includes diet, exercise, alcohol consumption, smoking.
• Your last blood pressure reading, if available.

Your doctor will measure your blood pressure and tell you about your blood pressure reading.

• Blood pressure is described with two readings:
• Systolic BP (highest reading)
• Diastolic BP (lowest reading)

There are many categories of hypertension in relation to systolic and diastolic blood pressure because the definition of blood pressure varies by age and race. Your doctor will decide after taking your blood pressure, probably after several readings on different occasions.

In certain situations, your doctor may recommend 24-hour blood pressure monitoring to get a more accurate picture of your blood pressure fluctuations throughout the day. This means that you will need to have your BP checked in your own home.

Additional tests your doctor might order include:

• Urine tests to check for protein in the urine
• Blood tests to determine cholesterol levels.
• Electrocardiograms (ECG)

Upon confirmation of diagnoses, your doctor will likely recommend lifestyle changes as the first line of treatment, followed by pharmaceutical treatment afterwards.