High Blood Pressure or Hypertension Causes and Symptoms

Introduction

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, can be a silent killer. It’s one of the most common health conditions in the United States but it often goes undetected and untreated. In fact, one out of every three American adults have high blood pressure and don’t even know it! But if left untreated, hypertension can lead to heart disease, stroke and kidney failure—which is why it’s so important to know all about this condition so that you can prevent or manage it as early as possible!

Causes

Causes of hypertension
Causes of high blood pressure
Causes of blood pressure
Causes of high blood pressure symptoms
Causes of high blood pressure causes
Causes of high blood pressure in kids
Causes of high blood pressure in adults

Symptoms

There are a number of symptoms that can indicate high blood pressure. Headaches and dizziness are among the most common. Other symptoms include blurry vision, nausea, palpitations (a feeling like your heart is beating too fast or too hard), chest pain, shortness of breath and fatigue.

In addition to these symptoms that you may experience when your blood pressure suddenly increases (like when you exercise), there are also some classic signs that can help you identify if someone has high-normal or prehypertension:

A red face and headaches upon waking up in the morning;
Nausea when bending over;
Palpitations after eating; and

Diagnosis

Blood pressure is measured in two ways:

The first is automated, which involves an inflatable cuff that wraps around the upper arm and a sphygmomanometer (a blood pressure meter). The cuff inflates for about 20 seconds to get an accurate reading.
The second is manual, which involves wrapping a blood pressure cuff around your biceps and having someone read it for you as you relax for five minutes.

Once your blood pressure has been measured, doctors will use these numbers to determine whether or not hypertension is present and whether or not it’s severe. Doctors will also consider other conditions that may be contributing factors: diabetes mellitus; chronic kidney disease; sleep apnea; stroke risk factors such as smoking or high cholesterol levels; family history of high blood pressure; postural hypotension (low blood pressure after standing up); Cushing syndrome (inflamed adrenal glands); hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism; alcohol abuse/dependence

Prevention

Stop smoking.
Lose weight if you need to, especially if you are overweight or obese.
Eat a healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables.
Limit salt in your diet to less than 6 grams per day (about 1 teaspoon). Most people get too much salt from processed foods like breads, canned goods and frozen dinners. Try making your own meals at home using fresh ingredients rather than eating out at restaurants or fast food places that serve high-salt foods. Eating out also contributes to obesity, which is another risk factor for high blood pressure.
Exercise regularly and do some form of physical activity every day if possible—at least 30 minutes most days of the week will help lower your blood pressure levels over time. You can choose from many types of exercise from walking to swimming; just pick one you enjoy doing so it’s easy for you to stick with it! It may also help reduce stress levels in addition to improving overall health conditions such as heart disease risk factors.”

Treatment

Medication:

Medications are used to treat hypertension by lowering blood pressure. They are the most common treatment for high blood pressure and can be helpful in preventing stroke, heart attack and kidney disease.

Lifestyle changes:

Lifestyle modifications such as weight loss, regular exercise and a diet low in sodium can help lower your blood pressure significantly by reducing stress on the heart and increasing how effectively it pumps blood throughout your body.

Surgery:

In rare cases when medications don’t work or if they cause intolerable side effects, surgery may be an option to correct abnormalities that may be causing high blood pressure. A procedure called angioplasty involves opening up blocked arteries using balloons or stents (metal mesh tubes). Surgery is also available for people who have had several bouts of severe hypotension (low blood pressure) because their kidneys have failed completely due to damage from long-term high arterial pressures.*

Hypertension is dangerously high blood pressure.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. It’s also a risk factor for kidney disease, heart failure and peripheral artery disease. Your doctor can help you manage your symptoms by prescribing medications to lower your blood pressure or making lifestyle changes that decrease the amount of stress on your body.

Hypertension can cause damage to the brain, heart and kidneys. It can also cause damage to eyesight due to swelling under the retina (retinopathy).

Conclusion

Hypertension is a serious health problem that affects millions of people. It can lead to heart disease and stroke, which are two leading causes of death in the United States. If left untreated, hypertension can cause permanent damage to blood vessels, kidneys and other organs in your body.